Barça faced scrutiny over penalties and discipline amid ongoing probes into payments to a high-ranking official within the refereeing system. The inquiry centers on disbursements made by Barcelona during the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 to José María Enríquez Negreira, who held the position of Vice President of the Technical Commission of Referees. The payments were purported to support the preparation of referee reports and assessments of lower‑tier players, and they sparked broader questions about potential influence on officiating decisions during that period.
The developing story has prompted statistical reviews of Barça’s officiating balance across the seasons spanning 2015-16 through 2017-18, and how things shifted in the years following the cessation of payments. Analysts have examined whether this financing coincided with measurable changes in how the team was penalized, disciplined, or otherwise treated on the field as referees applied the rules to their matches.
Barcelona arbitration balance: penalties, cautions, and expulsions during the Negreira‑linked seasons
In the three seasons that are the focus of the payments investigation, Barcelona was awarded 33 penalties and conceded only 3 goals in penalties against them. During the same window, the team accumulated 206 yellow cards and 4 red cards. In the five seasons that followed, the last of which remains in progress, the record shows two fewer penalties awarded to them and a higher tally of disciplinary actions against Barça, including more cautions and expulsions. These shifts have been part of a broader discussion about whether off‑field factors could intersect with on‑field officiating trends, though definitive causation remains a subject of debate among analysts and fans alike.
It is important to note that these figures are part of a larger context in which refereeing numbers can fluctuate due to multiple variables, including the competitive environment, fixture congestion, and changes in officiating leadership. Observers emphasize that while patterns may emerge in certain periods, attributing them to a single external influence requires careful, nuanced analysis and corroborating data from multiple sources. The conversation continues as more detailed examinations of match reports and officiating histories are undertaken by independent commentators and statistical outlets.
Source: Goal