Andres Iniesta says he never heard, saw or felt that Barcelona benefited from refereeing assistance, insisting the club would not have gained even 1% of the alleged help discussed in the Negreira case.
The former Barcelona midfielder was speaking to Spanish newspaper AS, where he also said he hoped the 2026 Ballon d’Or would go to a Spanish player following the 2026 World Cup.
“Honestly, I hope it is a Spanish player,” Iniesta said. “It would make sense after winning the 2026 World Cup.”
Iniesta, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2010, was asked whether he had attached great importance to the award during his career.
“Generally speaking, I think everyone gave more importance to trophies,” he said. “What people want is to win the league and the Champions League. If the Ballon d’Or comes as well, then so be it.”
“It is not an achievement that can be placed on the same level as the league or the Champions League.”
Iniesta also compared Spain’s current generation with the team that won the 2010 World Cup, describing the present squad as being at an early stage of its development.
“These players are very young,” he said. “The challenge is to maintain the mentality that allows the group to continue producing what it is producing now.”
“If you look at the next four, six or eight years, most of the players in the team will be at the peak of their footballing ability.”
Iniesta rejects claims of refereeing advantage
The Negreira case concerns payments made by Barcelona to companies linked to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees. Iniesta said the footballing facts remained clear, although the wider matter had not yet reached its conclusion.
“In the Negreira case, what do you feel when you hear the stories being discussed?” he said. “From a footballing point of view, there is no debate. We have not yet reached the end of what is being discussed.”
“But even if we analyse all the matches from the period being referred to, they will not find even 1% of those potential forms of assistance.”
Iniesta added that his own experience during his Barcelona career had never suggested the club was receiving favourable treatment from officials.
“I have never heard, never seen and never felt that I received any help,” he said. “In every match, supporters and players feel that the other side received help.”
