The Shadow of Corruption in Football: A Critical Analysis of FC Barcelona’s Controversies

One of the most frequently cited arguments by Barcelona supporters to absolve the club from the stench of Negreira is the assertion that, with Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, and the revered Guardiola, they did not require refereeing assistance. The reality, however, is different: incidents of handball goals, dubious penalties, and questionable fouls have been prevalent, with more unusual red card outcomes than an honest politician and a media landscape enchanted by tiki-taka, a phenomenon that persisted until February 2023.

Nearly three years have passed since Ser (Barcelona) exposed what Florentino labeled as “the biggest corruption case in sports history.” It seems the Real Madrid president has a keen awareness of these issues, having witnessed his team lose leagues due to supernatural decisions that are now known to be tainted by a conspiracy that renders Calciopoli a mere fairy tale. This scandal has deprived numerous generations of football fans of a fair experience, and this statement is not hyperbolic. Núñez famously remarked that Cruyff believed he had single-handedly secured the Tenerife leagues amidst the refereeing controversies of García de Loza and Gracia Redondo—just as Negreira began to nurture his “chickens.”

As we approach 2026, this matter seems to be on a perpetual decline, especially after Albert Soler transitioned from Barcelona to the CSD, conveniently applying a form of euthanasia to his murky interests. Laporta’s red boxes will continue to gather dust in Spotify’s catacombs, and nothing will change, as it serves neither the interests of football nor today’s political landscape. Thus, the issue will be confined, unless Infantino takes an unexpected turn (with Ceferin already adequately aligned at the expense of the Super League), to videos of those Juventus youths (an exquisite irony) mocking a case that has crossed borders but, here, will remain an Iberian exception, silenced by many. After all, as they say: at least Madrid didn’t pay.