Laporta hits back at "obsessed" Tebas amid Barca ref controversy

Barcelona president Joan Laporta hit back at La Liga chief Javier Tebas amid the controversy over his club's payments to a refereeing executive.

Tebas claimed Laporta should resign if he could not explain Barcelona's reported seven million euros in outgoings between 2001 and 2018 to a company belonging to former refereeing technical committee (CTA) vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

Barcelona initially said Negreira was being paid for reports and advice on referees, which are now compiled internally.

"Some had already warned us that it seemed Tebas was pushing a reputational campaign against Barça and against me," Laporta told reporters at Camp Nou.

"The mask has come off, he continues with his obsession with Barca, with his fear of our club."

Laporta recalled Tebas, when legal adviser to Alaves in 2005, tried to report former Barcelona forward Lionel Messi for playing without the correct documentation.

The Barcelona president also said his club's unwillingness to sign La Liga's deal with CVC and determination to found a European Super League also played a role in his "obsession" with the Catalan club.

The Barcelona president explained that in his first spell in charge, between 2003 and 2010, the services the club required from Negreira -- reports and videos -- were invoiced "on the basis of demonstrable services".