Football

Former Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has been accused of fraud due to irregularities found in the club’s payment of transfers during his tenure. He has been called to give evidence by a court in Barcelona on the matter.

That is according to Cadena SER, who say that the investigating magistrate has called Bartomeu to explain said irregularities. The legal case was opened by current Barcelona President and Bartomeu’s successor, Joan Laporta, evidence of the fierce political divide that exists at the club.

Three transfers have raised suspicions

The current board say that some deals included commissions of 33%, and that certain businesses were founded solely to bill the club. The most egregious commission appears to have occurred in the €40m deal to take Malcom from Bordeaux to the club, who then paid a commission of €10m on the deal. That contract allegedly was signed ‘some time after’ the signing was sealed.

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) September 29, 2025 Meanwhile payments to the above mentioned Gonzalez Franco allegedly saw him earn €1.7m in the deal to sign Neymar Junior from Santos, and charge significant fees related to the signing of Antoine Griezmann. Laporta’s complaint goes on to allege that there was a consistent and methodical approach to avoiding financial controls, and that an ‘illegitimate payment’ of €15m was made to Atletico Madrid. This was allegedly to avoid Atletico taking the Blaugrana to court over their approach for Griezmann.