'Neymar choosing Barcelona has not gone down well' - Bartomeu attacks Madrid

Posted Wednesday, February 04, 2015 by Goal.com

The Blaugrana boss is the subject of tax fraud charges over irregularities relating to the signing of the Brazil star, but believes he is the victim of foul play

Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has suggested Real Madrid could be behind the ongoing investigation into the transfer of Neymar.

The Catalans' signing of the Brazil international in 2013 has created great controversy, with the club initially claiming they had spent €57.1 million on him, only to later admit that it took €86.2m to complete the move.

Bartomeu and the club are accused of fraud to the tune of €2.8m and the latest documents encouraged judge Pablo Ruiz to press charges against the current president as well as former chief Sandro Rosell.

Bartomeu has insisted Barcelona have not done anything wrong, though, and believes politics have come into play.

"The big question here is what’s going on? Neymar had two offers, one from Madrid and one from Barca," 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 didn’t like it that he was doing well...

"Now he’s playing great again and there’s another judicial action... I will not say Real Madrid are behind all this, but Neymar had two offers...

"A year ago we provided the Camp Nou for the ‘Concert per la Llibertat’ (Concert for Freedom), we play in the Senyera [the Catalan flag]... maybe that hasn’t gone down well in the capital.

"I see a break, both sporting and political but we’re going to keep working to get to the bottom of the matter. My duty is to get to the bottom of the matter.

"Barcelona have not committed any crimes and we would do it all exactly the same again."