More Negreira case revelations as referee testimonies are leaked – ‘He used to take us right to dressing room’

Further details have emerged about the Negreira case, almost a year on from the first news breaking about Barcelona’s relationship with former Vice-President of the Referees Committee Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. Barcelona paid Negreira between €7-8m over a period of 17 years for what they say was consultancy and scouting reports, but they are currently facing charge of bribery and Sporting Corruption.

Barcelona deny all wrongdoing, in a case that has muddied the image of Spanish football. The latest details to emerge about protocol from during Negreira’s time as VP comes from the leaked testimonies of around 20 referees, but the ones named are Antonio Mateu Lahoz, Santiago Jaime Latre and Alfonso Pino Zamorano.

In those testimonies, it is claimed that referees from the top four divisions of refereeing tree used to eat at a restaurant owned by Negreira and his wife in Barcelona, while often luxury cars were sent to collect referees from their hotels to take them to Camp Nou for Blaugrana games. Barcelona allegedly regarded this as a courtesy, and nothing more, but it is not considered normal practice.

During those occasions, Jaime Latre says on 2-3 occasions Negreira’s son, Javier Enriquez Romero, accompanied him right the way to the dressing room, as per El Confidencial.  However he notes that he believes the aim was to get close to referees, players and the footballing aristocracy to further his own business interests and client list, as opposed to influencing games. Enriquez Romero still today works as a mental coach for players and referees.

Mateu Lahoz confirms the existence of ‘organised dinners’ at Negreira’s bar, and that he knew assistants who were invited, but did not himself accept the invitation. Meanwhile Pino Zamorano explains that at one point he ended up in a karaoke bar with other officials and Negreira. Both Jaime Latre and Mateu Lahoz denied knowledge of the fact Negreira was employed by Barcelona.

Meanwhile El Mundo say that sources in the Compliance Department at Barcelona deny any investigation being opened into the matter, something Barcelona President Joan Laporta had claimed had happened last year. They also claim that the payments to Negreira were never subject to an audit, which stood out as unusual.