The Negreira case witnessed a new development on Friday with the appearance of Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, as a witness before the court, where his testimony lasted a full hour before he left to face the media.

Laporta said regarding the payments to José María Enríquez Negreira: "We paid for refereeing reports, and in no way to favor Barcelona."

He continued: "During my presidency, the club's performance did not require any kind of external benefits. Barcelona, at that time, was admired worldwide, an example and a reference in football; we did not need any help."

Laporta added: "I did not have a personal relationship with Negreira or anyone in his circle; I had no dealings with them."

He went on: "When I assumed the presidency, these payments were already in place, and I asked the sports management who told us to continue obtaining the reports. Documents from the first period were not kept due to the club's protocol of deleting files every five years."

He added: "The cost of the reports did not necessarily require the approval of the board of directors; it was only about the amount."

Upon leaving the court, Laporta remained silent towards journalists and responded briefly to a fan who demanded honoring Messi, saying: "Of course."

Former club coaches Ernesto Valverde and Luis Enrique also testified as witnesses via video.

Valverde said: "We were not aware of these refereeing reports, nor did I need them to perform my job."

Luis Enrique continued: "We never knew about the reports, and they had no impact on our work."

The prosecution continues to gather evidence and testimonies to determine the nature and reasons for the payments made during the years under investigation in a case that has remained open since its announcement on February 15, 2023. Investigations and legal questioning are expected to continue in the coming weeks.