Gerard Pique has denied any knowledge of the club’s payments to the Spanish referees’ committee
Gerard Pique has stated that he and the players were unaware of the club’s payments to the referees’ committee in Spain.
Pique talks about ‘conspiracies’ against Barcelona
The club has been charged by Spanish prosecutors for paying a former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, more than €7 million over nearly 20 years, with club officials claiming that they were receiving scouting reports in return.
Pique explained his ignorance in an interview with El Pais, as he stated: “Nothing happened to the players. I never asked for anything. Others asked for reports from the opposing team and perhaps some did from the referees. I have no idea.”
He also suggested that the charges are a conspiracy against the club: “But this is a subject that gives for conspiracies and newspaper front pages. That’s what the country lives on. I think you have to teach the why of things.”
Pique played for Barcelona during the period when the club is accused of making payments to referees, particularly from 2016 to 2018 when he was an integral player.
Despite this, Pique maintains that he and his fellow players were not aware of any such payments.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s stance on the matter remains that they have not committed any wrongdoing. Club president Joan Laporta has promised to fight to clear their name.
