UEFA will not sanction Barcelona over the Negreira case this summer

Barcelona president Joan Laporta defended the club's honour at a meeting in Slovenia with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. Laporta wanted to explain first hand all the events surrounding the Negreira case and the sensations were good. The Blaugrana are keeping a low profile but believe that the European body will not impose sporting sanctions on them this summer. UEFA will wait until things are clarified in the courts before going into the matter if appropriate.

Laporta wanted to re-establish the somewhat deteriorated relations with Ceferin over the issue of the European Super League, which was also discussed. But the Blaugrana leader travelled with the clear objective of explaining face to face everything that had happened in the 'Negreira case' so that UEFA would have the information of the internal investigation carried out by the club. Barça made it clear at all times that there was no buying of referees in any case.

The summit with Ceferin, which had been planned for several days, was the third step taken by Laporta in his offensive over the Negreira issue. First he gave public explanations, then he went to LaLiga to talk about it in front of all the club presidents and, finally, he addressed the president of UEFA. The final feeling of this summit is that UEFA will keep a low profile for now, far from the statements made previously by Ceferin. 

UEFA do not want to sanction a top European club without first having the support of a court ruling. There are many economic interests at stake and they will not act in the heat of the moment despite the pressure being exerted from Madrid. Ceferin did not commit himself to anything, but the feelings of the meeting were favourable and Barça understand that nothing will happen in the short-term.

In fact, Barça's strategy is clear and they will bet everything on the courts. Beyond the fact that there may or may not be any unfavourable sentence for tax issues, the Blaugrana are clear that there is nothing punishable at the level of sporting corruption, so the case will end up dying sooner rather than later in court. In Spain, there can be no sporting sanction because the facts are prescribed and everything indicates that UEFA will not act if the matter is closed favourably in the ordinary courts.