Joan Laporta: Barcelona President Breaks Silence After Corruption Scandal Rocks Club

• FC Barcelona have been charged with corruption of referees
• Joan Laporta believes the corruption charges slapped on the club are part of a "horrible campaign" against the Catalan giants
• If found guilty, the club could face serious sporting sanctions

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has broken his silence amid the corruption scandal which has rocked the Catalan giants.

The Blaugrana have been charged with 'continued sporting corruption' in regard to payments made to the former vice president of Spain's refereeing committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

According to Football Italia, Negreira was officially paid as an ‘external consultant’ providing reports ‘related to professional refereeing.’

However, the charges state categorically that Barca paid the former referee chief in order to prompt refereeing decisions to favour the Catalan giants in games involving the club.

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Meanwhile, Real Madrid will join the complaint filed by Spanish prosecutors against Barcelona on Friday to take legal action against their archrivals, Reuters reports.

Despite the charges and Madrid's decision to take legal action for what they called "serious accusations" by prosecutors; Barca president Joan Laporta insists his club is innocent.

“We are the victim of a horrible campaign against us, in which, now, everyone is involved! But we are not surprised. We will prove our innocence & many will have to rectify,” he said as quoted by MB.

Barca slapped with corruption charges

Spanish prosecutors have charged Barcelona with corruption over payments the club made to a former vice president of Spain's referees' committee through a company he owned, Sports Brief reported.

Barcelona had paid the company of Enrique Negreira, former Vice President of the Technical Committee of Referees €1.4m, which has caused much resentment within La Liga teams.

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

Mourinho punches Barca amid scandal

Sports Brief also reported that amid the ongoing scandal, a clip of former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho suggesting Barca's successes, especially in the Champions League, were aided by biased referee calls has resurfaced.

The fire-brand tactician pointed out a sea of controversial calls that helped Barcelona progress in Europe's premier club competition between 2008 and 2011.

"Why didn't the referee call four clear penalties for Chelsea? Why were Motta and Van Persie sent off? Why? Where does this power come from? Pep won a Champions League in a way that I would be embarrassed to win," Jose said, as quoted by IM.