UEFA have confirmed that Barcelona have been granted provisional access to the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League after suspending their investigation into the Negreira case.
The payments to the former referee led to widespread condemnation of Barcelona, who were accused of bribery and threatened with a ban from European competition if found guilty.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has long insisted the club broke no rules and has nothing to hide, vowing to cooperate with UEFA while the governing body investigates the payments and allegations against the club.
UEFA has now confirmed it has suspended its investigation and found no reason to ban Barcelona from the Champions League.
It is emphasized that UEFA’s decision is only provisional and not final, as ethics and disciplinary inspectors from within the organization continue to evaluate the available facts and may seek punishment for Barcelona if evidence of wrongdoing is found.
Spanish lawyers are also continuing to investigate Negreira’s case and UEFA have warned Barcelona that they must keep them informed of any developments if they want to avoid future punishment.
If no evidence of corruption emerges in the future, Barcelona will be eligible for next season’s Champions League, with manager Xavi promising to make a bigger impact in Europe next year after a stunning foray into the continent this season.
Galloping to La Liga glory, Barcelona were knocked out at the group stage by Bayern Munich and Inter last season and failed to get past the round of 32 in the Europa League after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Manchester United.