FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has launched a scathing attack on their Clasico rivals Real Madrid, saying that Neymar choosing the Blaugrana ahead of Los Blancos has not gone down well with their management and that the capital side has crossed a a red linea .
The FC Barcelona president is the subject of tax fraud charges over irregularities relating the transfer of Neymar, but believes that he is the victim of foul play, by Real Madrid.
Neymar joined FC Barcelona in the summer of 2013 in a deal worth 57.1 million euros. However, the transfer of Neymar created a big controversy when FC Barcelona admitted it afterwards that they have paid 86.2 million for the player.
The Spanish authorities accused FC Barcelona and its president Josep Maria Bartomeu of fraud to the tune of 2.8 million euros.
But now, the FC Barcelona president has come forward to claim that he and the club has not done anything wrong and he is a victim of foul play by Real Madrid.
“The big question here is whata s going on? Neymar had two offers, one from Real Madrid and one from FC Barcelona,” Bartomeu told 8TV.
“Neymar was playing well a year ago and all of a sudden there was a complaint we had misappropriated funds in the deal. Maybe somebody didna t like it that he was doing well…
“Now hea s playing great again and therea s another judicial action… I will not say Real Madrid are behind all this, but Neymar had two offers… a
The FC Barcelona president also hinted that his club playing under a Catalan flag has not gone down too well with the a Spanisha authorities.
a A year ago we opened the Camp Nou for the Concert per la Libertat [Concert for Freedom], we play alongside the Catalan flag…Perhaps that is not liked. I see a sporting and political agenda but we are going to keep working to get to the bottom of the matter. My duty is to bring the matter to a close.a
a Someonea s gone over the red line. And ita s a line beyond which you have to say, enough. FC Barcelona have done nothing wrong. Just brought Neymar here. Wea ll keep saying that the cost was 57 million [euros]a