Ex-Head Coach Ronald Koeman Slams FC Barcelona For Dirtying Image With Referee Payments Scandal

FC Barcelona legend and former head coach Ronald Koeman has criticized the club for sullying its image through the ‘Caso Negreira’ scandal.

A local prosecutor’s office charged Barca with “continued corruption” last month for making payments to the Former Vice President of the Technical Committee of Referees in Spain, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

The Catalans deny wrongdoing and insist that each payment, which they say was made for consultation work, can be explained and backed by invoices.

Amid possible sanctions from UEFA
EFA
, Koeman was broached on the scandal on Wednesday while presenting the Koeman Cup 2023 at Sant Esteve Sesrovires.

“It affects the image of the club a lot,” the Dutchman said when unveiling the golf competition, in quotes carried by MARCA.

“I notice in the Netherlands that people now think differently. Barca has lost its image. It doesn’t help. I can’t comment more because I don’t know what happened.”

Regarding Lionel Messi, who could possibly return to the club this year and left on Koeman’s watch in 2021 a couple of months before he was fired, the Netherlands manager called the Argentine “the best player in the world”.

“Anyone who can have him will be strong,” Koeman said. “I lived through his departure closely and it was a very bad day. When I see Leo wearing another shirt, it still feels strange to me. I don’t know how the subject is or what Leo thinks. I am in favour of Messi being a Barca player.”

As briefly mentioned, Koeman was fired on the orders of president Joan Laporta in October 2021 and swiftly replaced by current coach Xavi Hernandez.

Due to hard feelings between Koeman and Laporta, Koeman admitted that it would be “hard” for him to go for a coffee with the president.

“Nor should we talk about the past,” Koeman stressed. “The club will have its thoughts in that regard. I have already said what I think, we must look to the future. Barca continues and I continue with my life. The damage passes over time.”

Furthermore, there is no animosity between Koeman and his successor Xavi, who Koeman believes deserves the two-year contract renewal officially offered to him on Tuesday according to MARCA.

“From the outside, he seems to me the right person,” Koeman confessed. “It’s getting better, they’re signing [players].

“I don’t know if for next season it will be possible,” Koeman pondered, in a nod to Barca’s financial woes. “He was a Barca player and at a great level. He is a very good coach for this Barca. The few moments I had to talk to him were with a lot of respect and a lot of work.”