Real Madrid hits back at Barcelona following Laporta´s ´club of the regime´ allegations

Real Madrid have taken aim at rivals Barcelona following Joan Laporta’s ‘club of the regime’ allegations with a four-and-a-half-minute video.

Barcelona president Laporta leapt to his club’s defence at a Monday press conference amid allegations they made payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the technical committee of referees.

The Blaugrana are subject to a UEFA investigation with prosecutors in Spain pursuing charges for alleged corruption. Barca are accused of having paid over €7million to a company owned by Negreira.

Laporta opted to turn the spotlight on Madrid when claiming his club have no case to answer, suggesting Real have “historically and currently” been favoured by arbitration decisions, attaching it to former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.

That led Los Blancos to respond with an extraordinary and lengthy video which was broadcast on social media and Real Madrid TV, detailing Barcelona’s links to Franco.

The video initially asked “which is the team of the regime?” in clear response to Laporta’s comments before compiling its case.

“The Camp Nou was inaugurated by Franco’s general minister, Jose Solis Ruiz,” the video stated.

“Barcelona made Franco an honorary member in 1965… presented him with awards on three occasions.”

The video also pointed out Barcelona’s success in comparison to Madrid during the initial Franco era, 1939 until his death in 1975, along with that his administration helped save the club from bankruptcy three times.

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— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 17, 2023