On March 15, it will mark two years since the Negreira case first emerged. Following a Treasury investigation, what is widely regarded as the biggest scandal in Spanish football history was uncovered: payments totaling 8.4 million euros made by FC Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, over a span of more than two decades (1994-2018). The revelation of these payments sent shockwaves through the football world, but despite the gravity of the situation, there has yet to be any significant repercussion, and Barcelona continues on as if nothing happened.

There has been neither an administrative nor a sporting sanction so far, and while the trial is still ongoing, the frustration among Real Madrid fans has only grown, particularly due to the perceived lack of consequences for Barcelona. This growing frustration was highlighted by former Real Madrid player Iván Helguera in a recent interview with AS. Helguera did not mince words, expressing the bewilderment and anger shared by many Real Madrid supporters who are baffled by the lack of disciplinary action against the Catalan club.

"I don't know what's going on, I don't really understand it. They took away leagues from us, and there are teams that were relegated to the Second Division. You can't be unfair. And I don't really understand why Barcelona aren't paying for it," said Helguera, who played in La Liga for more than a decade (1998-2008), during the period when Negreira was vice-president of the referees' committee and receiving millions from Barcelona. "There are things that nothing happens with, and it shouldn't be that way. I don't care how much time passes, they need to pay for it," he added.

This sentiment reflects the growing impatience within the football community, especially among Real Madrid fans, as they wait for accountability in what remains a highly contentious issue.

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