Barcelona president Joan Laporta claims ‘illegitimate payment’ for youth players made under previous board

The club board reiterated their intention to follow a five-year plan to restructure finances and return the team to a competitive environment on the pitch

(REUTERS)

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has held a press conference announcing the results of a forensic financial investigation into the club’s accounts, declaring that the Prosecutor’s Office in Spain will have access to documents and monetary trails which could have criminal implications.

The Camp Nou club carry debts of over €1.3bn (£1bn) and had to make huge savings and establish a long-term loan provision earlier this season, just to be able to pay their enormous player salary and register players for the season. One of the knock-on effects was the departure of Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi on a free transfer, with several others players having to renegotiate lowered wages.

This restructuring during 2021/22 has saved Barcelona €159m so far, with inflated salaries and commissions being paid outside the market norms until the matter started to be brought in hand.

“The most flagrant [debt-inducing payments] are sports contracts,” Laporta explained. “They [the previous board] had to be aware that this was skyrocketing. What is most surprising is that there were continuous actions on this way of acting. Specific cases, there is talk of millionaire commissions, outside the market [usual rates] and that are difficult to justify”.

Laporta and Jaume Campaner, a lawyer for the Catalan club, described “millionaire amounts” being paid out of the club in unnecessary or perceived improper transactions, while also claiming “misappropriation or unfair administration...are mixed with signs of forgery of documents.”

Prior to taking questions from assembled media, there was also the declaration that Barcelona, while run by the previous administration, had potentially made outright illegal payments or otherwise undertaken accounting procedures that are prohibited.

“We commissioned an investigation to a company of recognised prestige, Kroll. Payments without cause or payments with a false cause or disproportionate payments were found, which demonstrated disloyal conduct and did not rule out the unjust enrichment of those responsible for these payments,” Laporta said.

“The common denominator was that the prices of the players were greatly inflated,” Campaner added.

“The result is artificial accounting profits that do not reflect the real situation of the club. This in the criminal code has a name, a crime of false accounting. The club has the obligation to put it on the table.

“There are indications of an illegitimate payment of €15m (£12.5m) to a club for rights to young players.”

While much of the blame has been laid at the feet of former president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his board, Laporta refrained from accusing any individual from personally benefitting and said the national law system will provide answers on that front.

“The Prosecutor’s Office will determine who is guilty We are here to clarify the facts and we are not pointing fingers at anyone, we are not policemen or judges. The Prosecutor’s Office must determine if it is negligence or there is intent or intentionality.”