Barcelona released for now the major uncertainty. The referee feared the team's champions league on charges of paying the referee. However, UEFA postponed their investigation process, and there is no barrier to playing the Barcelona Champions League for now.
In the meantime, UEFA mentioned the 2023-24 season. The European football regulator agency said that the investigation process will start again when the evidence of the allegation against Barcelona's complaint.
Allegations of illegal payments to referees against Barcelona surfaced last February. According to the Spanish prosecutor's office, it was the case of the former president of Barca, Joseph Maria Bertameu. Barca unethically paid Maria Enriquez Negreira, vice-president of the technical committee of La Liga referees at the time. This money is alleged to have influenced the outcome of the match. However, it was denied by Barcelona and Negreira. They claimed that money was exchanged between the two parties for work as consultants.
Uefa has started an investigation taking the matter seriously. However, the organization has not received clear evidence to support the allegations so far. A statement from UEFA's appeals board on Thursday said, "Proceedings regarding Barcelona's participation in the 2023-24 UEFA club competition have been temporarily closed." However, it can be reopened given the request of the Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors (EDI) in charge of the case or the former officer in charge.'
UEFA has written that the investigation of EDI will continue even if UEFA suspends its activities, "Barcelona will be obliged to assist the ongoing investigation of EDI on its own initiative and submit relevant documents in light of their request."
The statement asked the EDI in charge of the case to continue and complete the investigation. Uefa said the EDI would send a report to Uefa's appeals board if it felt Barcelona's decision to play in the Uefa club competition should be re-evaluated.
