as a witness you can’t lie

He does not do so as an accused – his criminal responsibility is prescribed because these events occurred between 2003 and 2010 – but his statement is essential.

Laporta was president of the club during a period in which payments were made to José María Enriquez Negreiraformer vice-president of Technical Committee of Referees (CTA)and have also significantly increased their fees.

His statement seeks to clarify, among other points, the reasons why decided to increase payments to Negreira during his first term and the knowledge he had of the content, form and substance of these arbitration decisions which, according to the investigation, lacked sufficient documents.

He should also respond to certain contradictions that he has maintained publicly since the scandal broke and which will now be confronted in court.

Prescription, but not impunity

Even though Laporta’s presidential period between 2003 and 2010 cannot be criminally prosecuted because it has expired, it is a vital piece of the puzzle.

Not only because of his past role, but also because he is leading the club again and has actively defended the legality of payments made to the Negreira family businesses (Dasnil 95, Nilsad SCP And Soccercam SL).

In fact, it was under his tenure that the largest increase in bills occurred. During the 2009/2010 season, Laporta increased payments to Negreira’s entourage by 102% for unusual concepts such as “recording the Spanish team’s matches” or “spotting work”, activities unrelated to alleged referee advice.

Reports as “proof”

In April 2023, Laporta holds a press conference to defend the club. showed 629 arbitration reports and 43 CDs allegedly prepared by Negreira’s son, Javier Enríquez Romero, as proof that the payments were justified.

However, the investigation revealed that these documents They only covered the period between 2014 and 2018and did not explain payments before 2013, when most of the money was paid.

Moreover, his Javier Enriquez He denied Laporta in front of the judge. He assured that he never invoiced through his father’s companies, but from his own (soccer camera), for which he perceived certain 70,000 euros per year.

Also He denied knowing that his father was collecting millionaire sums from the club. and he publicly denounced that his name was used as a “screen” to justify payments that had nothing to do with him. “The 7.5 million euros have nothing to do with my reports” he said.

“Everything is documented”

Joan Laporta has maintained from the beginning that all services provided by Enriquez Negreira at the club were duly documented.

However, both the Tax agency like his FC Barcelona they recognized before Tax authorities that a good part of the services invoiced by Negreira They had no documentary justification.

The reports also did not convince the auditors. THE Consulting firm KPMG He warned of the lack of consistency in the concepts charged by Negreira and reported as irregular the sudden increase in fees in sections that have little to do with arbitration.

Added to this is a revealing fact: payments stopped in 2018coinciding with Negreira’s departure from the CTA, suggesting that The value of his services lay not in the relationships, but in his position.

“Ignorance” of the agreement

Another line of defense from Laporta’s entourage has been to minimize his direct involvement in the payments during his first step at the helm of FC Barcelona.

They claim that the relationship with Negreira was a practice inherited from previous directives and that it was a verbal agreement, without signed contracts or formal commitments, although at the same time they assure that everything was always documented.

However, the evidence collected by the prosecution and the Civil Guard demonstrates the opposite. José María Enríquez Negreira himself admitted to the Treasury that Its role was to “guarantee the neutrality” of arbitrationswhich implies that he perceived a power of influence.

In 2020, offered the club “help with VAR” although he no longer holds any position within the CTA. And when the payments were stopped, he sent two burofaxes threaten Barça in which he recalls his “confidences and favors”.

These messages contradict the version of ignorance and reveal a direct personal relationship between the club presidents and Enríquez Negreira over the years.

They also show that Payments were assumed for years by the club without a written contractwithout supporting technical reports and without more support than Negreira’s word.

Open instruction

Laporta will not be the only one to declare himself this Friday. Former coaches will also do so as witnesses Ernesto Valverde And Luis Enriquewho must clarify whether they used the so-called arbitration reports in their technical work and to what extent they were relevant.

The Prosecutor’s Office considers that its versions will make it possible to contrast the veracity of the story proposed by the club on the usefulness of said documents.

After these statements, the case will continue its course. He January 27 the appearance of FC Barcelona, ​​entity under investigationrepresented by the current vice-president Helene Fort.

Later, the February 6the former president will appear Jeanne Gaspart. The investigation thus seeks to listen to all institutional officials who may have knowledge of the relationship between the club and Enríquez Negreira.

Laporta’s statement will be particularly significant. Even if you are not at criminal risk during this phase of the process, you must respond clearly and consistently to the issues that you have publicly avoided or characterized.