Xavi and Joan Laporta hit back at Real Madrid's 'campaign to destabilise Barcelona'
- Barcelona club president Joan Laporta charged with bribery as part of Negreira case this week
- Laporta claimed 'sociological Madridismo' is reason behind public scandal
- Xavi has agreed with the Barca president
By Sean Walsh
Barcelona head coach Xavi has revealed his belief that 'sociological Madridismo' is part of the reason why the club and various individuals have been charged by Spanish prosecutors in relation to the Negreira case.
Barca have been charged with bribery in relation to payments made to former referee chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018 in exchange for information about match officials.
Despite initially escaping individual punishment, Barcelona club president Joan Laporta has now been charged by judge Joaquin Aguirre Lopez for bribery during his initial stint between 2003 and 2010.
Speaking earlier this week, Laporta blamed 'sociological Madridismo' - the idea that Real Madrid are favoured by the state - for Barcelona's name being tarnished in the public eye.
"There is a sociological Madridismo in the centres of power. They have a lot of power. I have competed against this sociological Madridismo and I have won. They are afraid that what happened in my first stage would be repeated, we won a lot and that hurt them a lot. They suffered a lot," Laporta said to Catalunya Radio.
"I defend the interests of Barca. The more complications they give me, the more I love Barca, and the challenges they give me.
"We are used to fighting against this. This Madridismo is in the media, in the world of sport, in the media. We have to accept this normally but as Cules [Barcelona fans] we must know that we must compete against this. They are terrified that we will repeat what that we already did, that we win everything again.
"In the Negreira case, we will see if we reach trial. I am a lawyer and I am calm because this cannot prosper. We have a very good legal team. Real Madrid fans have taken advantage of the Negreira case to tarnish the name of Barca and its history. And to destabilise us and control things."
At a press conference on Friday, Xavi was asked about Laporta's recent comments and backed up the club president.
"Within the camp, we don't talk about this. We talk about football. But you have to look at the archives: Villarato [a Real Madrid conspiracy that Barcelona are favoured], doping. I'm with the president 100%. There have always been campaigns to destabilise Barcelona. It's a reality," Xavi said.
"They are stories to destabilise. There is too much talk about non-sporting issues. In my time, there was talk of doping and Villarato, these come from newspapers from Madrid, invented by them."
When asked if he thought Laporta had now been charged due to the state favouring Real Madrid, Xavi simply replied: "Yes."
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