El Clásico Preview: Negreira, Tebas, and Big Predictions

The Barcelona Podcast

Negreira, Tebas and El Clásico preview: Barcelona backed to win on the field

The first half covers the Negreira case and the Real Madrid-Barcelona media war, with the hosts arguing there is no bribery evidence but that Barcelona's payments were still improper and the case has been prolonged by Real Madrid's procedural moves. The second half previews El Clásico, with Barcelona seen as clearly stronger and the hosts predicting a Barcelona win.

As Real Madrid and Barcelona prepare for El Clásico, Dan and Diego team up to break down the on-field match-ups and off-field controversy. They talk about the news surrounding Javier Tebas and the ongoing Negreira case. Finally, they tackle line-up and score predictions ahead of the huge La Liga clash. Check out our merch in our store! - https://the-barcelona-podcast.creator-spring.com/ 0:00 Negreira Case 30:18 Lessons from PSG 38:11 Line-ups Predictions 54:03 Score Predictions 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen. 🔵🔴 Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Patreon for ad-free episodes.BlueWireVideo

Transcript

So, how will the referees and Tabas steal Elasco from Real Madrid? That is the answer that we are answering today. I need some help, of course, for episode 865 of the Barca Podcast brought to you by the Blue Wire Podcast Network. I am Dan Hilton. He's Diego Aren. And yeah, I say it a little bit in justest here, but there being a while since we've talked to the last of the last updates of the Nega case and all the off-field conflict between Real Madrid and Barcelona, it's been a while and usually I ignore it, but Diego, unfortunately, it has felt like it's reached the fever pits. We're going to get into all the details. I'll say how are you first, but it Yeah, today it's going to be onfield stuff for Eláico for the preview, off-field stuff. And unfortunately, I I think the off-field stuff is kind of taking the lead here on the headline. >> Yeah, man. So, you had to call the guy that loves wearing the tin foil hat and dive deep into these matters. [laughter] >> The one guy that the few times my videos go viral, it's always having to do with Madrid corruption or me trying to uh me jeopardizing future job opportunities basically for a few clicks and likes. But here we are again. Dan, thank you for having me on the pod and yeah, happy to join you on this, I would call it a pre-classico that has a little bit of mustard on it because we just saw that the headlines on the digital newspapers here in Spain are uh announcing that the uh Spanish sport count sporting council will bring teas to the Spanish and and I want to translate this right so I made sure that I got the translation here to the Spanish uh administrative court with regards to the statements that he released of comparing the media strategy content strategy of Real Madrid to that of Gobles's uh for the Nazi regime and uh it could it could then spell the end for Tea something that Florentino of course has been on a mission on and um you know the root of all this I I guess kind of brings us to the Negrada case, but there are so many different angles to this. So, yeah, man. Here we are. Here we are ahead of the classical. You It was an interesting hook there. Steal the classical. You don't really think that though, do you? >> What? That No, of course not. I say that very much in in Jess that in that that the referees are looking to steal a classicalico for >> Barcel they tried there when you will remember not very long ago you know we just had an incident last week where 32 cameras stopped working in the verno koulles will remember when the camera was conveniently not working when lamin scored that goal that phantom goal the goal fantasma you remember that crossed the line >> but all there was no images of that. So, you know, would it be the first attempt at them trying to uh nick one away from us? No. But I just don't see that. I don't foresee that for this upcoming classicalico. I think we're miles ahead still of Real Madrid and well, Sunday we will see where each team stands, I guess. Yeah. >> Yeah. There's that even that p push and pull for the last few weeks where Vinnie Jr. is given the ban and Real Madrid of course is saying that's an unfair ban so he's going to miss all classicalico again we'll get in the preview later and on the other side of that is art Gouair gets away with a red card elbow offense >> right and so there's as is the case there's nuance there's push and pull to all this stuff but yeah let's focus on the case because again at least on my show I have not talked about this even since I've since my background changed since I've lived in this new apartment so to me it's been probably two years or so since I really dug into it because there's no reason to have dug into it. Again, what I will say is I even the first time tried to take this from a very neutral approach. Not saying any Real Madrid stuff, not saying Barcelona, but >> merely looking at this through a court case, which I think is the most difficult thing to do because it's boring and things like that. So, >> let me be very clear. Since May of 2024, there have been no new updates. A Spanish court in 2024 dismissed what were official bribery charges, >> correct? >> Ruling that Neggera was not considered a public official under Spanish law and there was not enough to dictate that Barcelona would have received anything favorable favorable >> favorable yeah >> with the payments that they presented to Negra. >> What is true is that Neggera who at the time was not the president of the referees but the vice president. So let's get that very clear because >> everybody keeps saying he's the president but he was the vice president >> but >> one one of three. Yes. >> Right. So Barcelona did this is what is true they did hire him as an external consultant to provide technical reports of refereeing. Barcelona has admitted to that. There's been testimony. They've admitted to that and as they've continued to bring in new people for testimony including Ernesto Verde and Luis Enrique they said that they have never received those reports. So what is Gerard Gerard did the ex-player and ex-coach of the Barabi team said that he did ask yes for the report. Correct. >> So with all of those things the what is true and is what has been true about Negetta case is that should Barcelona have been paying Negetta as this external consultant? No. All of it feels gross to me. It has felt gross to me. uh and to the point even where you know as you said Gerard Salam but Ernesto Valverde and Luis Enrique which again this is from the period of 200 five was what it no 200 and much later >> oh yeah yeah to >> Lucho and >> oh yeah right 2001 that's what it is 2001 to 2018 there it is from Gaspar >> oh right right so 2001 to 2018 that is when this has all been happening and >> again it has always kind of felt you know again gross to Then there are questions that are very real like really fair in that Ernesto and Louis case. So why didn't they see the reports and like the the questions of those things about Barcelona doesn't mean and we did this with Bartto we did this with Sen Rossel like with the Neymar stuff like they did shady business like the club we support and the people in charge of it have done shady business and you know you should have a bad as a Kool-Aid you should have a bad taste in your mouth like those things are all true >> but can I >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I mean, you know, the Neymar signing always felt shady. However, also they were cleared of that. You know what I mean? So, and let's not forget that Sandro Ros spent over two years in jail for a case that in the end he wasn't even trying. He was basically absolved of and never got those 200 or two plus years back. you know, he got some financial compensation, but that there is a lot of gray area, you know, bene welcome to Spain where corruption is the order of the day. It's a wonderful country in the seven countries that I lived in, the best. I am half Spanish. I'm proud to be so. But it is a deeply flawed country where corruption is the order of the day in each and every nook and cranny. Whether it's at the high level or whether it's you having a painter over to paint your house and you're asking if you can pay him in black. You understand? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Do you say that in English? Pay pay black or play under the table like uh >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um Yeah. And and so while again Barcelona have I I I'm never in fear like people have asked me like hey you haven't updated the case for a while whatever like again >> going back to 2024 this is basically dismissed and and it seems like Barcelona would be absolved of anything and if anyone was you know guilty of something it would be Netta himself but due to dementia he can't even serve jail time. So that is like another part of this is kind of even being thrown thrown away by again we're talking the higher courts. We're talking that this was a case that to its merit went beyond just the Spanish courts that again to begin this conversation that you said Tbas is now going to be facing um an an injunction. So c >> can I say as well just bold your train of thought I I need to add to that teas but also >> Joan Gaspar Laorta Ross and Bartoo those five figures it almost and and people laughed at me you know in in the churros days when I said Bara is a victim in all of this because it involves five people who are most likely guilty of call it money laundering call it disloyal business administration, but they used Bara and uh and Negra's his own companies or affiliates to >> do something with these payments that is not exactly clear. Aloas refereeing reports, funneling money, inflating uh expenses, you know, now we're getting into Manchester City territory. There's a lot of theories, but what has been categorically uh cate categorically, am I saying that correct? [snorts] Denied and and and ruled out by the courts is bribery. >> Yeah. >> So, I just needed to get that in. Sorry. >> No, no, that's that's correct. like and and to your point it's that's the that's the one I say one that's not the one downside but there are downsides to having clubs that are owned by its members who still are required to put somebody in charge right and and I always tell the international fans of this club that at the end of the day while people were like you know Leaport is a savior after Bartameu And right what I always remind people is you can like a president as the representative for your club. Right? Like Joan Laora I think has done a really good job. I said like even with his transfer strategy and the money he spent he is high risk high reward and it has certainly paid off. He got Hans Flick right. So all of that stuff is great with Jan Leaporta being charge of the club that we love so dearly. M >> the other part though that I always remind people is that Bartameu and Leaporta as high members of Catalin society are so much more similar to each other than they are to you right like they are politicians at the end of the day >> and you know again that is that's me being United States >> what' it say >> that says it all they're lawyers like they >> they're lawyers well yeah [laughter] I'm not going to disparage lawyers here but they they are the presidents of Bar of Barcelona and so often often the again the the people on the board like again they are like just wealthy catalins in that world in that society and so again it's just a reminder that they are together and so the fact that Barcelona presidents in succession would enrich themselves yeah >> in some kind of shady deal for again you're talking about skimming off with just the numbers you're talking about skimming off 2 million 3 million over the course of 10 years right it's not it's not like there it's also number-wise, it's not this gigantic gigantic controversy. It's that like these men are looking to enrich themselves in in in quiet and small ways. So, what I will say is from a sporting aspect, I keep seeing the word especially from the Madrid side of calc, which was the Italian match fixing scandal, >> which was involving uh Juventus around 2006. And we know after that they drop down to Siri Bay. There's I mean huge fines, referees go down like this is that verdict and >> and the evidence was there to support >> and the evidence was there. That's the very that's the big difference that again outside of sport in court there has just been a lack of evidence but that has not stopped from a sporting aspect again and this is kind of the last part of this that I want to talk about that the this Alasico feels like you know you and I have both been on social media during the social media era we'll call it and this is the first time to me that it really feels like the online discourse and then that bleeding into Real Madrid TV and the media side of stuff bleeding into Munda deport orivo into sport. It has felt to me or cat, you know, cat radio. It has felt like to me that the what you said the tinfoil hat stuff, the the the we're victims that agrieved feeling that fans have the world over has bled into the confrontation to the point where the clubs are now the ones who are being reactive to the discourse as opposed to the the other way around. And again, I set this up giving merit to the questions that Real Madrid fans might have about well, you know, those pay those why didn't the reports why weren't they seen by Luis Enrique and Verde and you know what I mean? Like why did they do this at all? And those are again those are fair questions from a sporting aspect that I provide. But again, but but again, I think that discourse is just >> it's working the opposite direction here. And what that's led to and here's like the final little piece of this. October 1st, Real Madrid send 50,000 plus pages, documents called a dossier, whatever you want to UEFA about the ongoing Negetta case. But what makes it an ongoing case is that with Real Madrid as a entity recently joining that case. Again, it's just continuing to stay open for something that since 2024 has already been decided. Now the reason why it remains open is that if if Real Madrid or if someone else has evidence that is brought forth this ongoing case as you want to call it could see another chapter but no evidence again to this point has been proven. So the idea that is ongoing I do throw that out because again no one has been found guilty of corruption or bribery to this point. That is that has not been happen. and Barcelona has agreed and admitted to transferring >> money to the vice president. >> It formed part of their tax uh statements, right? So, correct. It wasn't like they were trying to hide that in that regard. Uh there's a lot of things in what you just said. Sorry. >> Well, and then the final point, the final point is that UEFA had like they released this statement that they had received the documents, but again, UEFA's investigation in this has been ongoing since November of 2023. So like there is no new news here. It is Real Madrid saying hey UEFA you got those documents. And then UEFA said we got those documents and then Real Madrid goes see they got those documents. Look at this investigation and >> they haven't exactly and they haven't been doing nothing because I don't know do you know Miguel Galan? >> Are you familiar with Yeah. So, he is kind of the go-to at this point when it comes to oath, at least when I want a sensible take, nonpartisan take as well on the situation. And he has said that first of all, he said UEFA will not take any action on this matter before the Spanish courts come to a ruling. Um also you know what I wanted to add to the point that you made the reason why it is still ongoing is because Real Madrid who have personified I think is the word in English uh in themselves in this case have asked for um their their last ask demand for an extension got actually shut down but I think they got two or three. So the reason why the courts haven't gotten to a final definitive sentence yet is actually in part because Real Madrid continues to ask for an extension for the investigation which now finally has been shut down which I find very funny because you know now with Manchester City and that all whole ordeal the fact that that has been an ongoing case for nearly a decade now seems to be coming down to definitive conclusion. we're still awaiting the punishment and then the appeal. But here in Spain, they've been like, you see, in England, they are hardhanded with these kind of things. They don't take nonsense. And it's like, listen, first of all, the Negrada case has been ongoing for less of a time than the Manchester City. And also, the reason why it's still ongoing is because Real Madrid has been asking for these extensions in the investigation. So that aside, >> you know, the important thing here is that the there's three key aspects to the reports, right? And there the the case's main evidence comes from three investigations from the from Athena, which is the tax authority. If any grown-up here listening to this podcast knows that any tax authority is nothing to be effed with, the civil guardil and the national police. Now, none of their conclusions ever use the term bribery, right? They never use the term. So, it is very hard not to say impossible to convict Bara of a crime that the investigations themselves never even mentioned. Um, you you you mentioned the dementia part and that is for me the worst outcome because >> Mhm. >> I myself want negata to be on the stands. I want to hear from the man that was, you know, the focal point, the nucleus, if you will, of this entire operation for all of these years. I want to hear from him. Now, the fact that they are most likely going to drop the allegations against him because of dementia, I think is a massive hindrance in this case in the interest of Koulles. Whether it's, you know, the corruption, bribery, whatever the outcome, I want to hear from him, you know, and and and I don't want to have this dark cloud looming neither to for for again the skeptics and the critics and the madistas mainly to always have this one over us, if you will, right? I want there to be definitive proof accounts from those involved. And lastly, >> and this is the most >> for me the most um uncomfortable and and and again I'm I'm playing not not just devil's advocate but as a critic as a diehard Bara fan but also a critic of this situation which just like you Dan it smelled bad from the start. the fact that these individuals, presidents, and the vice president of the Spanish uh refereeing association were involved in a business sense in any sort of way. I don't like that at all. Were they the only ones? No. And I'll get to that in a second. But the point I'm trying to make here was neutrality, right? The police and the civil guard reports agree on one thing, and that is nega he said himself that Bara paid him for refereeing neutrality. [laughter] Now, paying for neutrality is not a crime. Is not a crime. You can discre like you can have your discrepancies, but it doesn't meet the legal definition of a crime. To be a crime, you need actual proof that VRA paid to influence outcomes, specific matches, and the reports do not show that. Um, you can ask, well, what is this whole neutrality thing about? And I think that is a whole different conversation. And again, you might accuse me of putting on my tin foil hat, but I think, and not just me, I think people that f follow Spanish football for for centuries, if you will, have long believed that the governing bodies that rule over Spanish football have all been in charge in hands of Madridistas. This, you can go down the list, okay? I I have an entire list here. I won't bore the audience. You can do your own research or I will put you know pass you on the information for show notes. >> But you can Google you can Google I mean >> you can Google it right. >> Well Google well Google Mundivo 100. That is the way to get that that's the that is they they put together this whole report if you want to see that. >> I thought that was only matches. >> It is matches. Yeah. Yeah. >> Well I'm talking about centuries you know over since since the founding of professional football in Spain. those in charge of the governing bodies, whether it's La Liga, you know, whether it's it's the the refereeing committee, whether it's the Spanish Sport Council, whether it's that all of these organizations that are all centralized, mind you. It's not a crazy take. Like, it's not a far-fetched idea. All of these establishments, these branches that are based in Madrid are led are presided by members of Real Madrid, ex-players of Real Madrid, fans of Real Madrid. hooligans of Real Madrid that that you know on Twitter Twitter has a history you you know what I'm saying like >> well that well that's like the extra little edge that I think has also been added here when we're talking about the Real Madrid TV and some of the discourse of that like things have real