Bartomeu in court over 1.7 million euro payment to lawyer in Neymar case

Former FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu appeared in court in Barcelona to explain the circumstances of a 1.7 million euro payment to his personal lawyer, Gonzalo González Franco. This payment was related to Franco's negotiations with the Spanish prosecution in the so-called "caso Neymar." Bartomeu testified that this amount was verbally agreed upon with the club as a necessary defense cost, aimed at reaching a settlement and closing the long-running criminal proceedings. The case of Neymar's transfer from Santos to FC Barcelona in 2013 weighed on the Catalan club for years. The charges included corruption, embezzlement, and financial irregularities related to the real value of the transaction, which officially amounted to 57.1 million euros but, according to investigators, could have been much higher. In 2022, the club, under its then-management, reached a settlement with the prosecution, paying a fine of 7.9 million euros and avoiding a criminal trial. This decision ended nearly a decade of investigation but left questions about legal costs. According to Bartomeu's testimony, the verbal agreement with the club regarding covering the attorney's fees was precisely aimed at achieving this settlement. The former president emphasized that Franco's actions were beneficial for the club, as they allowed it to avoid even more serious financial and reputational consequences. However, the fact that the transaction was not formally approved by the club's board or audit committee raises doubts about its legality and is the subject of a separate investigation into the possible misappropriation of funds. „El pago se pactó con el club para cerrar el caso Neymar y evitar más problemas.” (The payment was agreed with the club to close the Neymar case and avoid more problems.) — Josep Maria Bartomeu Lawyer Gonzalo González Franco represented both Bartomeu and FC Barcelona in negotiations with the prosecution. His role as a mediator between the club and law enforcement was crucial for reaching the settlement. The remuneration of 1.7 million euros for this work was paid directly from the club's account to Franco's law firm account. Investigators are now examining whether such action fell within the applicable management and financial procedures of Catalonia's largest football club.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize shortcomings in corporate oversight and controversies surrounding informal financial arrangements. Conservative media focus on the justified need to defend the club and the success in avoiding more severe sanctions.