FC Barcelona defender and sports entrepreneur Gerard Piqué was interrogated by a judge in Madrid as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the agreement that moved the Supercopa de España to Saudi Arabia. The questioning is part of a case that also involves the former president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, and focuses on possible crimes of corruption and money laundering.
According to revealed details, the agreement signed in 2019 and extended in 2020 contemplated holding the tournament on Saudi soil for ten years, with an annual value of 40 million euros. Kosmos, Piqué's sports entertainment company, reportedly received a commission of four million euros for its participation in the negotiations, while the former player was active with Barcelona and in the competition.
Upon leaving the court, neither Piqué nor his lawyer made statements to the media. Previously, the former footballer had claimed his innocence, stating that his involvement in the agreement was entirely legal and followed international football regulations. The judicial investigation gained momentum after the leak of audio recordings between Rubiales and Piqué in 2022, discussing details about the million-euro commissions.
After Rubiales was questioned by justice in April 2024 and denied any wrongdoing, a month later Piqué was officially involved in the investigation, leading him to appear before the judge recently. The process is still in the instruction phase, with the possibility that the judge may decide to dismiss the case or recommend it proceed to trial.
This new legal incident adds to Rubiales' issues, as he was convicted of sexual assault after kissing Jennifer Hermoso during the celebration of the 2023 Women's World Cup.
