Barcelona President Joan Laporta Set to Stand Trial for Bribery Case in Spain

• Joan Laporta has reportedly been summoned to court over a Barcelona case
• The Catalans have been charged with bribery for illegal payments to referees
• Laporta’s tenure as Barcelona president could be cut short if he is found guilty

Joan Laporta’s tenure as Barcelona's president could come to an abrupt end despite having three years remaining on his mandate, as he is set to stand trial in Spain for bribery.

The Catalans were charged with 'continued corruption in the sports field' in April for payments of around €7.3 million, which Barca made to the former Vice-President of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

According to GOAL, Laporta will stand trial alongside former Barcelona presidents, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, as well as the club as an entity.

The judge overseeing Casa Negreira has decided to indict all club presidents, including the 61-year-old, for bribery, sports corruption, unfair administration, and forgery.

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Barcelona are said to have started making payments to Negreira from 2001 until 2007, but the statute of limitations on those alleged offences has expired.

Joan Laporta denies any wrongdoing

Meanwhile, Laporta has denied any misconduct on Barcelona's behalf in terms of corruption, calling the latest bribery scandal a 'campaign against the club', Football Espana reports.

If convicted, the 61-year-old may face a prison term of three to six years. Meanwhile, depending on the sentence, La Blaugrana could face everything from a warning to liquidation.

There has yet to be any evidence of sporting corruption, but the charge of bribery merely refers to paying a public official for doing their job, regardless of the reciprocation received.

Joan Laporta chilling in Los Angeles

Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Laporta's reputation being mired in controversy, as pictures of the Barca chief socialising with women have sparked a major uproar on social media.

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The reputation of the club president continues to stir up reactions on many fronts, most notable as pictures of his actions while in the United States of America sparking outrage online.

Laporta is said to have hosted a party in the country, attended by prominent businessmen and other influential individuals from Los Angeles and other cities in the state of California.