Real Madrid have called on UEFA to complete its investigation into the Negreira case as soon as possible after European football’s governing body confirmed it had received a formal complaint from the Spanish club.
Managing Madrid reported UEFA’s response on Thursday, October 1, 2026, while reproducing a statement issued by Real Madrid. The confirmation covered both the receipt of the club’s submission and the continuation of UEFA’s inquiry into payments made by FC Barcelona to the former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees.
Real Madrid said the material it had provided should now be assessed as part of that existing investigation.
The club described its complaint as containing extensive documentation and evidence. It argued that the events under examination were exceptionally serious because they affected the integrity of competition and public confidence in the refereeing system.
Real Madrid also said it would continue to cooperate with UEFA and use the available procedures to clarify events it considers inconsistent with integrity, transparency and fair play.
Its statement called for the investigation to be completed in full and for the competent bodies to issue decisions proportionate to the seriousness of the facts they have established.
That wording represents Real Madrid’s position and does not indicate that UEFA has concluded wrongdoing has taken place. The confirmation says the complaint has been received and that the investigation remains active, but it provides no timetable for the process or details of any possible ruling.
UEFA’s headquarters are in Nyon, Switzerland.
What the UEFA confirmation means
The Negreira case relates to payments made by FC Barcelona to the former vice-president of Spain’s referees’ committee over the past two decades, according to the account of UEFA’s communication reproduced by Managing Madrid.
The latest development places Real Madrid’s complaint within an investigation UEFA says is still under way. Based on the information reported, it is not an announcement of a separate investigation, formal charges or sanctions.
Real Madrid’s request is for UEFA to examine the submitted documentation, continue its work and reach a conclusion promptly. The club’s demand for action does not itself amount to a decision by UEFA, and the reported statement does not say when the governing body will finish its investigation.
The dispute forms part of a wider pattern of Real Madrid challenging football authorities on issues including governance and refereeing. The club has also criticised Spanish football leadership and called for Javier Tebas to be removed, although that matter is separate from its complaint to UEFA.
The case has also brought renewed attention to the wider institutional dispute involving FC Barcelona, whose home stadium is Camp Nou. UEFA’s latest communication confirms the procedural position only: Real Madrid has submitted its complaint, and the Negreira investigation is continuing.
