UEFA President Ceferin Hints At FC Barcelona Punishment For ‘One Of Most Serious’ Cases Ever Seen

UEFA
EFA
president Aleksander Ceferin has hinted that FC Barcelona are open to punishment from the European football governing body in an interview conceded to a newspaper in his homeland Slovenia.

Barca have been charged for “continued corruption” by a local Prosecutor’s Office after it was revealed that the club made payments to a Former Vice President of the Referees Committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

The Catalans deny any wrongdoing and have insisted that the payments were all above board for consultation work carried out by Negreira.

Last month, however, UEFA announced that it had opened its own investigation into the matter as outlets such as Goal previously reported that a ban from the Champions League for the 2023-2024 season is possible if the Blaugrana are found guilty.

Speaking to Epika in an interview published on Monday, Ceferin stressed that he cannot comment directly on the case for two reasons when asked to do so.

“First, because we have an independent disciplinary committee. And secondly, because I haven’t dealt with this in detail.”

“There’s one thing I can say,” Ceferin continued. “As far as I’m informed, the situation is extremely serious. So serious, in my estimation, [that] it’s one of the most serious in football since I’ve been involved in it.

“At the level of the Spanish league, the matter is, of course, barred and cannot have competitive consequences while proceedings are underway at the level of the Spanish Civil Prosecutor’s Office. The same goes for Uefa, it has not been time-barred,” Ceferin explained.

Ceferin’s comments were immediately picked up on by the Catalan and Spanish media. In effect, they are Barca hearing it from the horse’s mouth that potential sanctions are possible.

Goal reported that there were “growing fears” UEFA could come down heavily on the club for its continued support of the failed European Super League before it launched its own investigation.

Naturally, with his body overseeing the Champions League (UCL) and having considerable sway over European domestic championships, Ceferin is a staunch critic of the potential breakaway competition which Barca still support alongside Real Madrid and Juventus.

Leading La Liga by 12 points, Barca are on course to qualify for next season’s edition of the UCL as Spanish champions. Given their financial woes, being barred from it if found of wrongdoing by UEFA would have grave economic consequences considering potential losses of television money, win bonuses and gate receipts at Camp Nou.