Laporta: Sociological madridismo using Negreira case to dirty Barça's name
The Barcelona president responded to being charged with suspected bribery on Wednesday
Barcelona president Joan Laporta assured that Joaquín Aguirre, the examining magistrate in the 'Negreira case', was always likely to investigate him, but reaffirmed the lack of legal grounds for his indictment.
In addition, in his intervention in the programme 'Els Matins de Catalunya Ràdio,' he defended Barça's actions during his first mandate (2003-10) regarding the payments to Negreira for the reports and the advice received and affirmed that there is a "sociological madridismo" that pushes the case.
"Knowing the history of this judge (Joaquín Aguirre), we were warned by our defence team that we could end up like this (being investigated), but as there is no crime of bribery and there is no continuing crime, this cannot prosper. Moreover, it has already been appealed by most of the parties," said the Barça president.
Laporta also remarked that the change in the judge's strategy "is even contrary to the criteria of the Public Prosecutor's Office, which already made it clear that it qualified it as sporting corruption and disloyal administration but in no case of bribery."
Sociological madridismo
Laporta denounced that "there is a sociological madridismo in Madrid and in the circles of power that is very strong. I have competed against it and we have won. I suffered this sociological madridismo a lot during my first period in which we won a lot. Now it is repeated because we are getting better and better at all levels, sporting, economic and institutional. It has taken advantage of the Negreira case to sully the name of Barça and we cannot allow this."
Sociological madridismo, according to Laporta, "exists and is protected in certain media, certain political circles and in certain sections of sport, and we have to accept it as normal. Everyone can be the team they want, but we as Barça supporters must know that and compete as we have already done, and won."
Florentino Pérez at the clásico
"My relationship with Florentino (Pérez) is correct. I don't know if he will come (for the clásico). He didn't come to the last one. I would like him to come because the clásico is the best spectacle in the world and that both teams are represented makes the game."
