European football governing, UEFA has confirmed the receipt of 'substantial documents' of about 50,000 pages from Real Madrid to revisit the Negreira case involving Barcelona.

The Negreira case spanned 17 years, from 2001 to 2018, in which Barcelona paid money to former vice-president of Spain's Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

Barcelona have since defended their reason for paying around €7.4 million to Negreira as payments for external consultancy but Real Madrid are not letting go of corruption allegations.

The Negreira case first came into the limelight in February 2023, and UEFA is now examining Real Madrid's documents through its Ethics and Disciplinary committee.

"UEFA can confirm that it has received from Real Madrid CF a substantial amount of documents related to the ongoing investigation into FC Barcelona in the matter involving José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (the so-called “Negreira matter”)," read UEFA statement, via ESPN.

"The UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have also received these latest documents which they will assess as part of their ongoing review."

REAL MADRID DEMAND UEFA INVESTIGATION

Real Madrid's latest documents to UEFA also come with a stern demand to strip their fierce rivals Barcelona of all titles they won during the 2001 and 2018 period.

They stated that the allegations levelled against the Catalans affected the integrity of the sport.

The statement read; "UEFA has confirmed the receipt of the complaint filed by Real Madrid C.F. and the continuation of the investigation concerning payments made over the past two decades by F.C. Barcelona to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.

"The complaint filed by our club includes extensive documentation and evidence regarding events of extraordinary seriousness, which directly affect the integrity of the competition and confidence in the refereeing system.

"Real Madrid C.F. considers it essential that, now that UEFA has this documentation, the investigation proceeds with the utmost urgency until its full conclusion, and that the competent bodies take the appropriate decisions in accordance with the severity of the verified facts.

"Our club will continue to actively collaborate with UEFA and take all actions within its power to clarify events that it deems incompatible with the principles of integrity, transparency, and fair play that should govern European football."

BARCELONA RESPOND TO REAL MADRID

Barcelona, on Thursday, responded to Real Madrid and clarified that UEFA is yet to launch any proceedings against them, nor was the Negreira case closed before.

"UEFA has not opened any new proceedings against FC Barcelona," the club statement read. "The proceedings were initiated in 2023, with the appointment of two investigators who have since carried out the action they deemed appropriate.

"The club has always complied with all their requests. These proceedings have not been reopened because they have never been closed. The UEFA statement confirms receipt of documentation submitted by Real Madrid and indicates that the investigators will assess it within the framework of the existing investigation.

"The same text expressly refers, on two occasions, to an investigation and a review that are “ongoing.” It therefore does not announce the opening, reopening, or reactivation of any proceedings, nor does it contain any assessment of the substance or value of the documentation provided.

"It is up to the investigators to determine what action, if any, they consider appropriate regarding this documentation.

"As of today, they have not made any new requests to FC Barcelona nor have they forwarded Real Madrid’s complaint to the club. Should they do so, the club will respond accordingly, as it has done up to now.

"In accordance with the applicable legislation governing this matter, these proceedings are subject to the outcome of the criminal case currently being heard in Spain and will continue to be so.

"Since the investigation began, FC Barcelona has continued to obtain its UEFA licence without objection and has participated in UEFA competitions."

Thursday's statements between UEFA, Barcelona and Real Madrid bring the Negreira case into the spotlight once again, a few days after Premier League club Manchester City were found guilty of financial breaches by the Premier League.

The legal tussle also heats up the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with the two clubs set to face off in the first Clasico of the season on October 25.