FC Barcelona's crisis over the Negriera case has taken a new turn after UEFA's decision to open an investigation.

Barcelona are accused of engaging in secret relations with referees and paying money to a company owned by Jose Maria Enríquez Negreira, a former vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation's referees committee.

UEFA has entrusted the investigation into the case to inspectors from the ethics and discipline committee, a scenario that could threaten Barcelona's participation in European competitions, among other economic and sporting matters.

Article 50.3 of the UEFA rules states that "if UEFA concludes that a club has participated directly or indirectly in any activity, aimed at influencing the outcome of a match at domestic or international level, that club will be ineligible to participate in the European competition."

UEFA have opened an investigation into Barcelona's role in the Negreira case.

They will investigate whether there were breaches of UEFA's legal framework. pic.twitter.com/ooWhHoSsda

— Football España (@footballespana_) March 23, 2023

"UEFA has the right, but is not obliged to, rely on the decision of a national or international sports body or arbitration tribunal to make such a decision."

The Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" confirmed that once the season is over, Barcelona will receive documents of acceptance to participate in the Champions League, if it is in one of the first to fourth places. Barcelona will be obliged to notify UEFA if it is involved, so logic says the club will record it, especially when there is a formal accusation by Spain's prosecutor.

UEFA will then have to decide for itself what action it will take against the club, based on the progress of the investigation.

For its part, the newspaper "Sport" (Sport) Spanish, that the investigation process will take a long time, and in the event of "UEFA" Barcelona from participating in European competitions, the club will resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The newspaper did not deny that the consequences of excluding Barcelona would be very serious for the club, both athletically and economically as well as on reputation.

She explained that a number of players, specifically those who are the most ambitious, will ask to leave the team, because they do not want to be in a club that does not compete with Europe.

Barcelona have a lot of international players, some of whom have a big future, who will understand that not playing in the Champions League can damage their careers, as well as their reputations.

🚨 La UEFA ya investiga al Barça.

📋 "Una posible violación del marco legal de la UEFA por parte del FC Barcelona". #JUGONES pic.twitter.com/7UvOOsCVM5

— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) March 23, 2023

The same applies to the players Barcelona are considering signing, so they will lose much of their bargaining power.

On the economic front, Barcelona, which is already burdened by financial problems, will suffer, as the club, despite not succeeding in getting past the group stage in the 2022-2023 season, rebounded its treasury with 70 million euros, to which another half a million were added from the Europa League.

Barcelona will lose these huge financial revenues, and what will make matters worse is that the team will play its matches next season at the Montjuïc Stadium, until the completion of the development at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Juan Laporta, the club's president, confirmed that every season in which Barcelona play away from Camp Nou, the club's management will lose 93 million euros.

In addition, it is highly likely that this will cause future sponsors to move away from Barcelona, and existing sponsors can review their contracts.

The Barcelona brand is immensely powerful, but all that will go unheeded if UEFA excludes the club from its European competitions.