In a recently published book by journalist Simon Cooper, he recounts an incident in February 2020 in which the Barcelona manager allegedly intended to bribe a UEFA official specializing in financial fair play, The Athletic reports.

The event is described in Financial Times journalist Simon Cooper’s book Barca: The Rise and Fall of the Club That Made Modern Football, which offers a new analysis of the crisis Barcelona has found itself in in recent years. the mandate of Josep Maria Bartomeu at the head of the club.

In his book, Cooper claims that a UEFA official had dinner with a colleague from Barcelona in February 2020 and that during the meal, the Catalan official complained about the European forum’s lenient policy on financial fair play in the case of Manchester City and PSG, two clubs. owned by foundations or individuals associated with nation-states.

A Barcelona official was allegedly interested in bribing UEFA

“Finally the Barca representative asked: ‘Is there anyone in your FFP (Financial Fair Play) department who we should pay?’

The UEFA official realized that his colleague was looking for someone to bribe on the European football field.” – Simon Cooperin his new book.

UEFA said that the organization “is not aware of any such meeting or request”.

The Athletic contacted Barcelona to confirm whether the claims were true, but the club did not respond.

The club under the leadership of the new president Laporta chooses a different approach, marked by the return of the old glory to the organizational scheme, as well as the activation of several economic “leverages” aimed at injecting money and financing new transfers, writes News.ro.