Pep Guardiola on Negreira Case, “ I didn’t see Barcelona pay a referee to get a benefit”

During this last week, it was made to the public knowledge that Joaquin Aguirre, head of the Investigative Court number 1 of Barcelona, officially charged FC Barcelona -as a legal entity-, former president of the club, Josep Bartolomeu, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira and Javier Enriquez Romero, for crimes of bribery and corruption as they are directly involved at the Negreira Case, one of the most biggest corruptions cases in the history of Spanish Football.

Thanks to multiple pieces of journalism published, it was discovered that former president of FC Barcelona, Josep Bartolomeu, paid over 7 million euros to former vice president of the CTA (Referees committee) Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira and his son Javier Enriquez Romero, in order to give more preference to the Blaugrana team than other clubs from a 2001 to 2018 span.

Pep Guardiola, who was FC Barcelona former head coach, and lead the team to achieve multiple prizes and tournaments such as 3 Spanish Leagues, 3 Spanish Super Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, 2 Club World Cups, 2 European Super Cups and 2 Copas del Rey, since 2009 to 2012. Now, the actual manager of Manchester City, has been asked about his thoughts on the new revelations made on the Negreira Case.

“So far what I heard, I didn’t see or didn’t read, because I’m out of that, but I didn’t see that Barcelona really, really paid a referee to take a benefit. That’s why I am going to wait to give an opinion, because Barcelona has to defend what they did.”, said Pep Guardiola in a pregame press conference before losing against Wolverhampton.

Pep Guardiola says to wait and see

The Manchester City’s manager said that everyone has to wait and sit until the judicial investigations give more information about the Negreira Case, as he rathers to stay quiet until the case evolves, but what he was sure about was Barcelona’s performance during  those years he commanded the Blaugrana team.

“What I am pretty sure, is that Barcelona won, and if you want to win in Spain, you have to do better much better than the other team, so if Barcelona won, it was because we were much better than the opponents… that’s what I’m pretty convinced right now, and I was there…”, said Pep Guardiola and added, “So if we won, it was because we were far better than our rivals, that’s why… But justice will decide what happens next”.