It is alleged that Barça paid Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain's refereeing committee, several times for information and analysis about match officials that could have benefited them. Barça has been charged by Spanish courts with "continuous sporting corruption."
Barcelona's potential exclusion from the Champions League was previously thought to be a possibility, and UEFA confirmed on Thursday that they are starting their own inquiry into the incident.
According to UEFA, "UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct an investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA's legal framework by FC Barcelona in connection with the so-called "Caso Negreira," according to Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations."
Barcelona are 'confident,' according to the Daily Mail, that UEFA won't punish them with a suspension or monetary fine.
La Blaugrana insist on their innocence in the issue and that any punishment from UEFA may be legally overturned or contested if Spanish courts find them not guilty.
Due to their repeated failure to advance to the lucrative knockout stages of the Champions League, Barcelona is already in financial danger.
Barcelona is accused of paying Negreira and his company to get special treatment from referees as part of the charges brought against them.
Barcelona "reached and maintained a strictly confidential verbal agreement with the defendant Negreira, so that, in his capacity as vice-president of the refereeing committee and in exchange for money, he would carry out actions aimed at favouring Barcelona in the decision-making of the referees in the matches played by the club, and consequently in the results of the competitions," according to Spanish prosecutors.
Barcelona's position towards a probable Champions League suspension.
Barcelona in a very tight position of being suspended if things go wrong.
The World Cup winner's potential return to Barcelona has been brought up often, with Joan Laporta, Sergio Aguero, and Jordi Alba all mentioning it this week.
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