Real Madrid have submitted a substantial dossier of documents to UEFA as part of the governing body’s ongoing investigation into Barcelona’s payments to companies linked to former Spanish refereeing official José María Enríquez Negreira.

UEFA confirmed on Thursday that its Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors had received the material and would assess it within the existing investigation.

The Negreira case concerns payments made by Barcelona to companies linked to Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees. The payments, which reportedly exceeded €7 million ($7.9 million) over more than two decades, have been under investigation by UEFA since 2023. A separate criminal case is also ongoing in Spain.

Barcelona have maintained that the payments were for technical reports and advisory services related to refereeing.

UEFA Confirms Receipt of Real Madrid Documents

UEFA said it had received “a substantial amount of documents” from Real Madrid concerning the Negreira investigation.

The governing body added that its Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors would examine the latest material as part of their ongoing review.

The submission follows comments from Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez in May, when he said the club was collecting evidence that would be presented to UEFA.

Real Madrid said its dossier contains extensive documentation and evidence concerning what the club described as serious events affecting the integrity of competitions and confidence in the refereeing system.

The Spanish giants have called for the investigation to proceed urgently and for the relevant authorities to take appropriate action based on the findings.

Real Madrid Call for Further Action

Real Madrid said it would continue cooperating with UEFA and take steps to clarify matters it considers inconsistent with the principles of integrity, transparency and fair play.

Pérez has become increasingly critical of Barcelona over the Negreira case. In May, he claimed that Real Madrid had been denied seven league titles, although such a claim remains the club president’s assertion rather than an established finding of the ongoing investigations.

The relationship between the two Spanish giants has also shifted in recent years. Pérez had previously taken a more conciliatory approach toward Barcelona, particularly while both clubs were involved in efforts surrounding the proposed European Super League.

Barcelona Say There Is No New Investigation

Barcelona responded by stressing that UEFA’s latest statement does not represent the opening or reopening of proceedings against the club.

The Catalan club said the UEFA case began in 2023 and that two investigators were appointed at the time. According to Barcelona, those proceedings have remained active and the club has complied with requests made during the investigation.

Barcelona noted that UEFA’s statement only confirms receipt of documents submitted by Real Madrid and says the investigators will assess them within the existing proceedings.

The club also said UEFA has not made any new requests to Barcelona or forwarded Real Madrid’s complaint to the club as of Thursday.

Barcelona added that it would respond if UEFA subsequently requests information or action from the club.

Spanish Criminal Case Remains Ongoing

The UEFA investigation is also linked to the outcome of the criminal proceedings taking place in Spain.

Barcelona reiterated that, under the applicable rules, the UEFA proceedings remain subject to the outcome of the Spanish criminal case.

The Negreira case has therefore continued on two fronts: the domestic legal process in Spain and UEFA’s disciplinary review.

For now, UEFA has not announced any new disciplinary decision against Barcelona. Its latest statement only confirms that Real Madrid’s newly submitted documentation will be assessed as part of the existing investigation.

What Happens Next?

UEFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors will review the documents submitted by Real Madrid before deciding whether they warrant any further action within the existing proceedings.

Barcelona said it would respond to any future requests from UEFA, while Real Madrid have indicated that they will continue cooperating with the investigation.

The next significant development will therefore depend on the investigators’ assessment of the newly submitted evidence and the progress of the separate criminal case in Spain.