FC Barcelona Responds to Real Madrid President's Referee Bribery Accusations

Following his side's loss to arch-rivals Barcelona, which helped the Blaugrana defend their La Liga title, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez went on an angry rant against referees in the competition, accusing them of stealing "18 points" during this season.

Perez said that Madrid's 14-point deficit, with three matches still left, was not due to their own on-field performances, but due to referees, coming down harshly, particularly on the former vice-president of the Spanish Referees' Committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. There have been allegations that Negreira got above seven million euros from FC Barcelona between 2001-18. The Spanish public prosecutor's office claims that payments were made for favourable decisions on the field, but the club insists they are made for reports and advice, as per Goal.com.

Now, the club has said about the allegations on their official website, "Regarding the press conference held by the Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, we inform that our legal department is carefully examining his declarations and accusations. They are currently being analysed, and the steps to be taken are being assessed. When considered opportune, any positions and decisions that have been adopted will be notified."

On Tuesday, during a presser, an angry Perez went off, saying, as quoted by Goal.com, that since his tenure with the club as president, he has won only seven La Liga titles, which should have been 14.

"I have won only seven LaLiga titles with Real Madrid!? I should have 14. They stole the other seven from me," he said.

The referees have stolen 18 points from us in LaLiga (this season)," he also claimed.

"The same referees from the Negreira era are still in action. They are still officiating. That makes no sense. Barca paid for Negreira's services for two decades, and these referees are still active in the third decade," he added.

- ANI