UEFA Want to Make an Example of Barcelona and Will Pursue Lengthy Champions League Ban

• UEFA are seeking to ban Barcelona from the Champions League for multiple years
• Barcelona are under investigation by the European body for making payments to a former referees chief in Spain
• Barcelona have denied any wrongdoing after insisting all payments were made legally

The governing body of European football UEFA wants to punish Barcelona by barring them from the Champions League for an indefinite period of time.

Barcelona has been accused of making payments totalling more than €7 million to the former vice President of the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, from 2001 to 2018.

According to Forbes, UEFA will request that Barcelona are banned from European competitions such as the Champions League for multiple years if the Spanish club is found guilty of the allegations.

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UEFA's Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have been appointed to conduct an investigation into Barcelona's possible violation of UEFA's legal framework in connection with the so-called 'Caso Negreira.'

Barcelona through its president Joan Laporta has since denied the club broke any laws and insisted all payments were made legally for consultation services carried out by Negreira.

Barcelona worried about UEFA ban

Meanwhile, officials at Barcelona are worried about being banned from UEFA competitions after the European football governing body opened an investigation into the club.

The Catalans believed they could be sanctioned by UEFA which automatically means a ban from the Champions League for at least one season if they are found guilty.

Barcelona, on the other hand, is unconcerned about the Spanish justice system or the prosecutor's office, believing that no crimes were committed in the 'Negreira case.

Barcelona could be relegated

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Barcelona could be sent to the Spanish second division of Spanish football in the wake of the corruption charges the club faces over paying officials.

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

The Catalan giants had paid the company of Enrique Negreira £7.4m between 2001 and 2018, which has caused much resentment within La Liga teams.