Barcelona Reportedly Set To Be Banned From UEFA Champions League

• Barcelona could be banned from the Champions League and all UEFA competitions next season
• UEFA have reportedly found indications that Barcelona tried to influence football matches
• They have been accused of paying around €7 million to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018

Barcelona could be banned from the Champions League and all UEFA competitions next season, despite winning La Liga.

Spanish prosecutors have charged the Catalan giants with corruption over payments the club made to former vice president of Spain's referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

La Blaugrana reportedly paid Enriquez Negreira's company £7.4m between 2001 and 2018, which has caused much resentment from La Liga teams.

While the club denied any wrongdoing, recent information seems to suggest Barcelona received preferential treatment for their payments.

And according to Sport Bible, UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin is said to already have seen the report and is now waiting to make a decision on the case.

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The European football governing body could choose to announce their punishment without waiting for the Spanish justice system's decision on the case.

On the other hand, UEFA might wait to make their decision until after Barca have been found guilty of corruption, which might result in a stiffer punishment.

Currently, UEFA representatives Jean Samuel Leuba and Mirjam Koller are advocating for a one-year exclusion of the club from tournaments.

A fixed amount of about €50 million, plus any additional money for how far they advance in the competition, would be lost if the team missed out on playing in Europe.

Barcelona unhappy with Real Madrid

La Blaugrana and Los Blancos may be bitter rivals on the field of play, but they're not against working with each other at a boardroom level.

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

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But 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 are 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.