Barcelona are bracing themselves for a few anxious days ahead, as the club await the resolution of the Negreira case that had rocked the club earlier in the year.
According to Mundo Deportivo, UEFA Is soon set to offer a resolution in the case, after conducting investigations and seeking background on the scandal, where Barcelona were accused of paying €7 million to Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the referee’s committee.
As per the report, there are three possible scenarios Barcelona could face once UEFA announces their findings.
The most favourable outcome for Barcelona will be that no sanctions will be taken by UEFA. The club will be allowed to participate as usual in the Champions League next season and won’t have to pay any fines.
The second outcome for Barcelona could come in the form of UEFA sanctioning the Catalans and barring them from competing in the Champions League next season or even beyond.
This scenario could hamper the club’s planning for the season ahead, as the prospect of no Champions League football could deter many top targets from joining the club, including the likes of Lionel Messi and Ilkay Gundogan.
It could also hurt Barcelona’s prestige in world football, which in turn, may lead to a sharp fall in revenue and deter potential investors and sponsors.
The third scenario is that UEFA might open an extraordinary case and lengthen the investigation, opening an entirely new file in Spain. Such a scenario will not come with any immediate sanctions, meaning Barcelona will be allowed to take part in the UCL next season.
The Blaugrana, though, will be determined to avoid any of the last two scenarios as they can radically damage their plans for the season ahead and hurt the Barça project in general. A nervy period awaits for the Catalan giants.
