Javier Tebas Calls on Joan Laporta to Step Down As Barcelona President Over Referee Payment Scandal

• Joan Laporta has been urged to step down as president of FC Barcelona following the club’s latest scandal
• Javier Tebas wants the club to explain its financial scandal after paying more than €1.5 million to a company owned by a former referee
• Barcelona are bidding to reclaim the La Liga title and are currently top of the Spanish topflight league

Joan Laporta’s reign as Barcelona president could be set for an abrupt end following the latest financial scandal rocking the Catalan club.

The five-time Champions League winners have been accused of paying more than €1.5 million to a company owned by the former vice-president of referees in Spain from 2016-18.

According to Goal, La Liga president Javier Tebas has now called for Laporta to step down as the Barcelona president if he cannot explain the club's 33 payments made to Jose María Enríquez Negreira.

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"If [Laporta] doesn't explain why it was paid, I think [he would have to resign].

"For now, I would say that Juventus is more serious for being sentenced, but I see the indications as more serious in Barca. A vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees appears here."

Other Spanish clubs including Sevilla have called for Barcelona to be investigated but La Liga cannot legally investigate the club due to Spanish football rules.

Barcelona launch internal investigation

Meanwhile, Barcelona has announced that they have started an internal investigation into the Negreira case while other La Liga teams have called for an investigation into the club, AS Sport reports.

The club's vice-president Rafael Yuste revealed on Barca TV that a law firm has been hired by the compliance department to launch an investigation.

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The club is also promising transparency throughout the investigations as members who are found guilty are expected to be sanctioned.

Barcelona could face European ban

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Barcelona are accused of paying approximately €1,4 million to Enriquez Negreira’s company, Dansil 95.

The payments were made over a period of 3 years, while Negreira was the Vice-President of the Referees Committee in La Liga.

European football’s governing body has the power to ban Barcelona from European competitions if they are found guilty of paying for favours from referees during games.