Real Madrid claim they have submitted “extremely serious evidence” concerning Barcelona’s payments to a former deputy head of Spain’s refereeing committee.
European football authorities said they would examine the material as part of an existing review into claims that Barcelona paid Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira 8.4 million euros (£7.2 million) from 2001 to 2018.
Since the issue became public in 2023, Barcelona have consistently rejected allegations of misconduct. The club maintain that the payments covered scouting services and technical reports on match officials supplied by Negreira and his company, Dasnil 95.
Real Madrid say their newly submitted file, reportedly containing more than 50,000 pages, includes information that could directly undermine the fairness of the competition and public trust in refereeing.
The governing body called the documentation extensive and confirmed that its ethics and disciplinary investigators would consider it during their continuing assessment.
Previous accusations suggested that the money given to Negreira was intended to influence referees, a claim Barcelona have firmly denied.
In a statement released on Thursday, Real Madrid called for the inquiry to move forward as rapidly as possible until it reaches a final conclusion. The club also asked the relevant authorities to make decisions reflecting the seriousness of any facts established.
Barcelona issued their own response on Thursday, insisting that no additional proceedings had been launched against the club.
They said: “The process began in 2023 when two investigators were appointed, and they have since taken the steps they considered necessary.
“The club has fulfilled every request made during the investigation. The case has not been reopened because it was never closed.
“The investigators must decide whether the submitted documents require further action. At present, Barcelona have received no new requests, and Real Madrid’s complaint has not been formally provided to the club. If that happens, the club will give an appropriate response.
“Under the relevant legal rules, this matter depends on the outcome of the criminal case currently being considered in Spain and will remain on hold within that framework.”
Investigators decided in June 2023 that Barcelona would not be sanctioned, allowing the club to continue participating in European tournaments.
A court in Barcelona has also been examining the allegations since 2023, and its investigation remains active.
La Liga president Javier Tebas said in March 2023 that the league was unable to act because too much time had passed. He explained that the matter was outside the permitted time limit under sporting regulations, although it could still be pursued under criminal law.
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