Real Madrid pile pressure on UEFA over Barcelona referee case

UEFA confirmed on Thursday that it had received multiple documents from Real Madrid relating to the long-running Negreira case.

The investigation centres on payments allegedly made by Barcelona over several seasons to Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain's Technical Committee of Referees.

Real Madrid have previously called for Barcelona to face serious sporting consequences if wrongdoing is established, and the club has now urged UEFA to complete its investigation as quickly as possible.

In a statement, Real Madrid said the documentation submitted to UEFA contained evidence relating to what it described as serious issues concerning the integrity of football competitions and confidence in the refereeing system.

"UEFA has confirmed the receipt of the complaint filed by Real Madrid and the continuation of the investigation concerning payments made over the past two decades by Barcelona to the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees," the club said.

Real Madrid added that its complaint contained "extensive documentation and evidence" concerning events it believes could have affected the integrity of the competition.

The Spanish giants also called on UEFA to act with urgency now that the governing body has received the material.

"Real Madrid considers it essential that, now that UEFA has this documentation, the investigation proceeds with the utmost urgency until its full conclusion," the statement continued.

The club said it would continue to cooperate with UEFA and take further action within its powers to establish what happened.

"Real Madrid will continue to actively collaborate with UEFA and take all actions within its power to clarify events that it deems incompatible with the principles of integrity, transparency, and fair play that should govern European football."

The Negreira case has remained one of the most contentious issues in Spanish football, with the allegations and their potential sporting consequences continuing to attract significant attention.

UEFA's investigation remains ongoing.