Is there a risk of another points deduction? Valencia and Barcelona face charges. They could end up like Juventus

The former Valencia vice-president accused both clubs of false accounting. The same accusation that led to Juventus losing 15 points in Serie A. A report on the possibility of a crime being committed by Los Che owner Peter Lima has been filed with the anti-corruption department of the Spanish prosecutor’s office.

Barcelona are also implicated in the whole operation, as one aspect of the complaint is a deal involving Jasper Cillessen and Neto. The matter involves two deals between the Catalan big club and the Bats in 2019, with Neto Murara moving from Valencia to Barcelona for €26 million plus €9 million in bonuses, while Japsper Cillessen went the other way for €35 million.

It was an open secret and from the very beginning, this operation seemed to eliminate financial problems and stabilize the situation at the accounting level, both in the Catalan big club and in the team at the Mestalla.

So former Valencia vice-president Miguel Zorio filed an official complaint with the anti-corruption department, accusing owner Peter Lim, former president Amadeo Salvo, Anil Murthy and current president Layhoon Chan of false accounting, embezzlement, disloyal administration and corruption.

According to Miguel Zorio, there was a violation of the law. The operation, in his view, was to commit the crime of falsifying accounts due to unmarketable transfer prices. He believes that Peter Lim chose not to face the loss of 30 million euros in the budget. “Barcelona’s directors used the same accounting trick to loosen their tied hands with Financial Fair Play,” claims Zorio.

He also cites a number of other dubious operations by Valencia involving the buying and selling of players. He also points out that Juventus has been punished for similar activities in recent times. The Old Lady had 15 points deducted from the table and club officials had to quit. However, it should be remembered that the scale in Juventus’ case was a much wider issue.

The former vice-president mentions that Barcelona benefited from the same process and should probably receive the same punishments for their role in the affair that former president Josep Maria Bartomeu committed. He also claims that La Liga turned a blind eye to the whole scam. Even the agent of Jorge Mendes, the Benfica Stars Fund and Quality Sports Investment are implicated in the whole affair.

Zorio points out the suspicious role of the famous agent Jorge Mendes in some of Valencia’s operations. “The involvement of investment funds and clubs linked to Jorge Mendes in these cases involves crimes of dishonest administration and corruption between the parties:: Benfica Stars Fund and Quality Sports Investments. All this with the constant help of the president of Valencia,” said the former vice-president of Los Che, who cites as an example the transfers of Andre Gomes, Rodrigo and Cancelo, who were bought for 60 million but only 34.7 million went to their former club.

“Peter Lim is facing charges and will no longer be able to hide behind the CEOs he put in charge of the club. He is most responsible, although not the only one, for the way Valencia has been weakened financially, sportingly and socially,” believes Zorio, who is demanding that the prosecution call on Valencia and other interested parties to provide information about their operations. We will know in the coming weeks whether the case will be considered.

It should be noted that Zorio has a vested interest in the indictment. He wants to oust Lim from Valencia and has an open proposal to buy Valencia shares, for which he would raise the funds by way of a loan.

Source: Football Espana, FCBarca