Athletic Club Bilbao Supporters Stage Protest Against Barcelona With Fake Money Amid Referee Payment Scandal

• Barcelona are facing criticism from all sides as they continue to deny allegations of corruption
• Athletic Club Bilbao’s fans threw fake money onto the pitch during a game against La Blaugrana
• Raphinha scored the only goal of the game as Barcelona restored their 9-point lead atop La Liga

The scandal surrounding FC Barcelona refuses to die down.

The club are at the centre of allegations that they paid the former vice-president of the Referee’s Committee, and their fellow La Liga clubs are not happy about it.

Athletic Club Bilbao’s supporters were the latest to voice their unhappiness at the allegations and made their feelings known during their side’s clash with Barcelona.

What did Bilbao supporters do?

At the half-hour mark, Bilbao fans threw fake money from the stands onto the pitch.

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The money had a picture of Barca’s club crest and the word 'mafia' written on it. Fans planned to throw the notes onto the field after half an hour but ironically, it also occurred just as the referee showed Inaki Williams a yellow card.

The Ghanaian player was shown a card for kicking the ball away after he was adjudged to have fouled Jules Kounde.

With Barcelona facing allegations that referees favour them, even the commentators noted that it was ironic the protest just happened to coincide wit La Blaugrana getting a foul in their favour.

What was the final score?

A goal by Raphinha in the first half was enough to give the Catalan side another clean sheet and the victory, extending their lead to nine points at the top of La Liga, BBC noted.

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Respective presidents, Joan Laporta and Florentino Perez have worked together in the past, despite the animosity between the two clubs.

Relations between Barca and Real Madrid could be breaking down after the La Liga champion's latest statement, Sports Brief reported.

Legal action against Barcelona

Sports Brief also reported that Barcelona is expected to be the subject of a public prosecutor's investigation into the ongoing El Caso Negreira/ Negreira Case.

It is alleged the Catalans paid former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, nearly £7.4 million from 2001-2018.

Prosecutors have officially denounced Barcelona and will pursue legal action against the club in light of the payments, after protests from 18 of 20 La Liga clubs.