Controversial former La Liga President supports Real Madrid, defends Barcelona in Caso Negreira

The details of the ‘Negreira Case‘ have slowed a little with no further revelations from El Mundo so far, but Barcelona are still firmly under the microscope for their payments to former Vice-President of the Referee’s Committee Enriquez Negreira. It remains a hot topic of conversation with every guest in interviews, as fans across Spain eagerly await further results from investigations.

The latest to be questioned by the press, in this case RadioMarca, about the issue was former La Liga President Angel Maria Villar. He was president of the RFEF from 1988 and 2017, with various sets of fans coining the term ‘Villarato’ as shorthand for refereeing decisions against him.

Villar denied anything of the sort.

“I understand that people think badly, I understand it. Now [having said that] I know, like many other people, especially the referees, that they haven’t done anything.”

He also admitted that he had a soft spot for Athletic Club and Real Madrid.

“Real Madrid are the best club in the world. They have won everything. My team is Athletic. In Bilbao, Madrid I have a lot of sympathy for. After Athletic, they are my second team. I think [Javier] Clemente also said something similar on another day and people were surprised, but that’s how it is.”

When asked specifically about the case, Villar did not want to get into details.

“The only thing I can say is that the Spanish referees are very good and some of the best in the world. And in that case that you have named for me, I’m not going to comment. I have my opinion, of course, but right now I don’t want to comment of those topics.”

Yet he felt there was no reason to be suspicious about results on the pitch.

“Barca’s victories have been clear. 38 games are played. It’s the regularity championship. Barca won it on the pitch because they were the best. Madrid, who I think is the best team in the world, when I played, they said that the referees helped him when the reality was that Madrid earned it on the pitch by being the best.”

Villar appointed the head of the CTA (Referee’s Committee) Victoriano Sanchez Arminio during that period of time, but would not have had dealings inside the CTA directly.

His image is so tarnished by years of built up questions over him, that most fanbases will not give much weight to his words. Yet he could be crucial in a court case or other investigations going forward.