What have Real Madrid said about Laporta’s ‘Negreira affair’ press conference?

Real Madrid chiefs are to ignore Joan Laporta’s broadside against the club, with Los Blancos opting against releasing an official statement in response to the Barcelona president’s words.

Seeking to defend Barça over their €7.3m in payments to former Spanish referees’ chief José María Enríquez Negreira, Laporta went on the attack against Madrid in an explosive press conference on Monday.

Barça president slams Real Madrid “cynicism”

Accusing Madrid of being “historically favoured” by referees, he hit out at the club’s “cynicism” over its support for the corruption charges brought against Barça and two former presidents.

“Real Madrid [are a club] that has been historically favoured when it comes to refereeing decisions - historically and currently,” Laporta told reporters. “A club that has always been considered as a team of the regime due to their proximity to power.

“I think it is worth remembering that, for six decades, most of the presidents of the [Spanish refereeing] committee were, in consecutive terms, ex-members, ex-players or ex-directors of Real Madrid.

“For 70 years, those who have chosen the people to make the decisions have been ex-club members, ex-players and ex-directors. And sometimes all of them at once.

“The fact that this club presents itself [as an injured party in the court case] and alleges to feel damaged seems to me like the biggest act of cynicism ever and I am confident that they can be unmasked.”

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Don’t respond to Laporta, Real Madrid club chiefs say

The club’s in-house television station, Real Madrid TV, released a video responding to Laporta’s claims on Monday, but Madrid’s president, Florentino Pérez, won’t offer any public reply to Laporta. Los Merengues have told all club directors, coaches and playing staff that they should also make no statements on the Barça chief’s attack.

Madrid consider Laporta’s words to be an attempt to justify the unjustifiable, and feel that the ‘Negreira affair’ is now a matter that they should leave to Spain’s justice system to handle.

In March, Spanish prosecutors lodged formal accusations of corruption against Barça, and against ex-presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu.

After the charges were announced, Madrid revealed that they would request to join the case as a private accuser.