The white club has submitted a document to the Court of Instruction number 1 in Barcelona to extend the investigation period of the case investigating FC Barcelona's payments to the former referee.
Real Madrid has taken a new step in its legal offensive against FC Barcelona. The club, led by Florentino Pérez, has requested the Court of Instruction number 1 in Barcelona to extend the instruction of the Negreira case by six more months, as EFE has learned.
In the document, which this newspaper has accessed, the Madrid entity argues that the investigation by the Civil Guard has revealed "elements and evidence, both direct and circumstantial, more than consolidated of the commission of a continued crime of sports corruption." Madrid believes that the current timeframe is insufficient to complete the investigations.
Barça's payments to Negreira at the centre of the case
The Negreira case investigates the €7.3 million that FC Barcelona paid between 2001 and 2018 to José María Enríquez Negreira, former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), and his son Javier Enríquez Romero. The blue-and-burgundy club hired the services of Negreira's company, which issued invoices for refereeing advice.
The Prosecutor's Office and Barcelona itself have defended that these were technical reports on referees, but the judicial investigation suggests that these payments could have influenced refereeing decisions. Real Madrid has appeared as a private prosecution since the beginning of the case in 2023 and has been one of the driving forces behind the cause.
In its document, the white club highlights that the actions taken by the Civil Guard have allowed the collection of documentary and testimonial evidence that reinforces the thesis of corruption. Among these are invoices, emails, and statements from those involved that, according to Madrid, demonstrate an "organised system" of payments.
An extension that could be key
Real Madrid's request comes at a time when the investigating judge must decide whether to close the investigation phase or extend it. The white club is asking for six more months so that the Civil Guard can complete pending reports and carry out new actions, such as taking statements from more witnesses.
Legal sources consulted indicate that the extension is not automatic: the judge will have to assess whether there are valid reasons to prolong the investigation. Barcelona is firmly opposed to the extension, arguing that the investigation has already been prolonged sufficiently and that there are no solid indications of a crime.
For Madrid fans, this request represents a new chapter in the legal battle between the two major clubs in Spanish football. Real Madrid insists that it is about "defending the integrity of the sport", while Barça considers it a media and judicial persecution.
What could happen now?
The judge has a few days to resolve the request. If the extension is granted, the investigation will be extended until early 2027, which would delay the possible opening of a trial. Otherwise, the case could be ready for sentencing in the coming months, with the risk of being shelved if the instructor does not see a crime.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid continues to take action in the courts. The white entity has already announced that it will appeal any decision that closes the investigation without exhausting all avenues. The Negreira case, which has implicated Barcelona executives such as Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, remains one of the most contentious files in Spanish football.
For the Madrid reader, the news has a clear local angle: the capital's club stands as the main prosecution in a case that affects the credibility of national football. Real Madrid fans are closely following every judicial step, aware that the outcome could have sporting and reputational consequences for their eternal rival.
The next move, in the courts of Barcelona, will be decisive.
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