Former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué has denied allegations of paying kickbacks to ex-football federation chief Luis Rubiales in the controversial deal that moved the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
Piqué, who appeared in court on Friday, is under investigation for corruption linked to the multimillion-euro agreement, which secured Saudi Arabia as the tournament’s host from 2020. His company, Kosmos, helped broker the deal while he was still playing for Barcelona.
A Madrid court had earlier flagged possible legal violations, including a clause ensuring Kosmos received €4 million annually from the agreement. However, Piqué insisted in his testimony that he never paid Rubiales or anyone else involved in the deal.
“I paid nothing,” Piqué told the court in Majadahonda, near Madrid, according to legal sources. He reportedly became emotional, saying the scandal had severely damaged his reputation.
The court proceedings are still in the investigation phase, and a trial may follow if formal charges are filed.
This case adds to the controversies surrounding Rubiales, who was recently convicted of sexual assault for forcibly kissing Spain’s star player Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women’s World Cup celebrations. He was fined €10,800 but avoided jail time, a ruling that feminist groups have criticized as too lenient.
The move to Saudi Arabia, which expanded the Super Cup to a four-team format, sparked backlash among football traditionalists. Rubiales, already facing multiple scandals, has appealed his recent conviction, while prosecutors are pushing for a retrial.
