From comment to resolution: the full chronology of UEFA's moves in the Negreira case and the date of Barcelona's trial

The Negreira case that has dogged Barcelona for years has reached its decisive, final turning point. UEFA have stepped back onto the front line of the confrontation, armed with a huge report from rivals Real Madrid. The timeline is accelerating fast: the investigation concludes at the close of 2026, with the trial to follow in 2027.

UEFA confirmed in an official statement that they had received "a vast amount of documents" from Real Madrid relating to Barcelona's payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the referees' technical committee in the Spanish federation, in the affair the media have dubbed the "Negreira case".

To grasp the full picture, you have to trace the chronology of the continental federation's actions, along with the new steps set to come, according to Spanish newspaper " Marca ".

Stage one: opening the investigation then freezing it

It began when UEFA's ethics and disciplinary inspectors spotted signs of a possible breach of the federation's legal framework over those payments. They decided to open an official investigation.

Before long, though, the federation suspended that investigation, pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings underway in the Spanish courts.

🚨🚨 OFFICIAL UEFA STATEMENT: UEFA can confirm that it has received from Real Madrid CF a substantial amount of documents related to the ongoing investigation into FC Barcelona in the matter involving José María Enríquez Negreira , former vice-president of the Technical… pic.twitter.com/OMmOo25MIq — Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) October 1, 2026

Stage two: Madrid's silent move

While UEFA's file sat frozen, Real Madrid moved quietly. Months earlier they had prepared a detailed, comprehensive report containing the entire case file.

Through it, the Royal club sought to see Barcelona held accountable on the international stage, having sensed no tangible progress was being made at home.

The move came alongside a historic reconciliation between Real Madrid and UEFA, with the club nearing a similar agreement with the European Football Clubs association, the EFC. Throughout the talks, Madrid insisted Barcelona must be punished to preserve the credibility of football.

Stage three: UEFA breaks the silence

Here lies the current turning point. UEFA officially confirmed they had received Real Madrid's documents concerning the famous case in which Barcelona stand accused of paying sums of money to the former head of the referees' committee.

Their statement read: "UEFA's ethics and disciplinary inspectors have also received these documents, and will analyse them as part of their review". In practice, that reactivates the European investigation frozen since 2023.

Comunicado Oficial.https://t.co/zzw6oJWY0C — Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) October 1, 2026

Stage four: the curtain falls on the investigation

Judicial sources indicate the criminal investigation in Spain should end by the close of 2026. The presiding judge rejected a request from Real Madrid, backed by the public prosecution, to extend the investigation by a further six months. The countdown, effectively, has begun.

The fifth and final stage: the hour of truth and the trial

Once the investigation wraps up, the trial is set to begin in 2027. At that point, the final decision rests with UEFA. Having analysed Madrid's documents and heard Barcelona's arguments, they must weigh whether there are solid legal grounds to impose sanctions that could go as far as exclusion from Europe, drawing a close to the longest refereeing corruption case ever to shake Spanish football.