By: Vansh Chojar, JC1 Teamwork

On March 10, 2023, Football Club Barcelona was accused of paying referees $7.8 million to a company founded by an ex-referee & former Vice President of the Technical Referees Committee (CTA), Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira's company named Dasnil 95 SL between 2001 to 2018. A court in Barcelona was informed that the Spanish Club, former officials, and Negreira were involved in corruption, breach of trust, and false business records.

This news has become a hot topic that almost every footballing expert or pundit has spoken regarding the situation. The rivals of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF, have backed the charges and protected their interests in these allegations. In their recent meeting, the Real Madrid C. F. the Board of Directors has inspected the serious accusations brought by the Barcelona Prosecution Service against F. C. Barcelona, two of its former presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and executives Albert Soler and 'scar Grau, based on alleged offenses of corruption in sports, among others, all related to the relationship the club maintained with the former Vice-President of the Technical Referees' Committee (CTA), Jos' Mar'a Enr'quez Negreira.

Real Madrid wishes to express its utmost concern regarding the gravity of the facts and reiterates its confidence in the legal system. The club has agreed that, in defense of its legitimate rights, it will appear at the trial when the judge opens it up to the affected parties.

In Barca's (FC Barcelona's nickname) defense, they have completely denied the allegations by stating that they had paid that amount to an external consultant to give them 'technical reports linking to professional refereeing' and adding on by stating that 'it is a common practice between football clubs'.

According to CNN, an FC Barcelona official stated there is no Official statement from Barca and denied that the club had bribed any referee.

What do I think about these charges? I, as a football fan for 7 years already, always had a feeling that something fishy was going on with the Club. It seems likely that FC Barcelona would be caught guilty and only more evidence is required. Personally, this news is honestly very disappointing to hear or to know about because it just shows how the game we love dearly is being mistreated and how it is being used so that those at the top can cash up their pockets. Who thinks about the fans -- those fans who gave up their precious time just so that they would end up watching fixed games? This is not football anymore but a money game. I predict there will be more skeletons that will tumble out of the closet soon.