The recent scandal involving Barcelona and alleged payments to a former vice-president of the National Refereeing
The recent scandal involving Barcelona and alleged payments to a former vice-president of the National Refereeing Committee is causing a stir in Madrid, with the media there actively pursuing the story. In contrast, the Catalan media have given little coverage to the story. At present, Barcelona is not facing any charges, as the investigation is focused on the individual who received the payments. The Spanish Football Federation may take action against Barcelona if legal action is taken against the club. The Madrid-based newspaper, El Mundo, has published details of 33 invoices that the club allegedly paid to the company of the former referee and official, amounting to €1.685 million. The newspaper also highlighted that during the period covered by the invoices, Barcelona went for 746 days without a penalty awarded against them. However, it is unclear whether any penalties were not given against Barcelona during this time period. Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed that the club has been receiving referee dossiers since 2001, even before his own presidency. It is unclear whether any sanctions will be taken against Barcelona as a result of the investigation.