Barcelona release statement demanding LaLiga chief Javier Tebas resign over ‘false’ evidence he gave against Catalans
BARCELONA have demanded the resignation of LaLiga chief Javier Tebas after claims he gave “false” evidence against the Catalan outfit.
The Nou Camp side are under criminal investigation following claims they paid the country’s referees’ chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira more than £6.5m over a 17-YEAR period.
Uefa have also launched an investigation that could lead to a one season Champions League ban.
But after allegations in the Barcelona-based La Vanguardia newspaper, which suggested Tebas had provided fake evidence against former club presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, Barca accused the LaLiga boss of orchestrating a “lynching”.
In a statement, the club said: “Faced with the gravity of the information that Javier Tebas was an executor in presenting false evidence to incriminate our club, FC Barcelona wishes to express his deep anger, indignation and sadness.
“We urgently require the president of LaLiga to appear publicly to offer explanations.
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“As President Joan Laporta has been saying in recent weeks, FC Barcelona feels we have been a victim of a media lynching for facts that never happened.
“Barca has never bought referees.
“But Tebas has tried to condemn us in the public opinion before the facts are judged.”
Tebas has made his anger at Barca’s conduct clear in recent months, although he pointed out that statute of limitation rules meant that LaLiga could not take any disciplinary action.
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The LaLiga boss denied the allegations, maintaining: “These claims are false.
“We have not accused anyone.
“Even the story published corroborates itself by pointing out what the letter to the prosecution said, which was not making a specific accusation against anyone.”
But Barca have held a huge grudge against Tebas since the collapse of the Super League plot was followed by the demand that the Catalans stick to strict FFP criteria which mean a budget CUT of £250m for next season.
The club added: “This is not the first time that the president of La Liga has used all his media machinery to dynamite FC Barcelona.
“But we could never have imagined that he would have tried to incriminate our club with false evidence.
“Out of dignity and respect for the presidency of LaLiga, Mr Tebas should resign his role.
“However, we are aware of his obsession to pursue FC Barcelona and constantly showing his aversion and manifest antipathy towards our Club.
“We understand that the current president of LaLiga will persist in his leadership of continuing to harm our club.”
