Joan Gaspart Slams Real Madrid Amid Allegations Barcelona May Bribe Granada

Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has insisted Real Madrid "harm football" amid claims the Blaugrana may try to bribe Granada players for their Primera Division-deciding clash on Saturday.

With Barca sitting one point clear of Real in the standings with one game of the 2015-16 season to go, the Catalan side can guarantee the title by beating Granada, no matter how Los Blancos fare away to Deportivo La Coruna.

Per M. Carmen Torres of Marca, Gaspart, who was Barca president between 2000 and 2003, slammed the Madrid outfit for any suggestion that the Camp Nou side may try to illegally turn the game in their favour:

"

The only thing Real Madrid do is harm football. If I was a Granada player I'd be offended, because it insinuates that I could be bought, it's an indecent campaign.

I believe in football and its honesty. If such things are discovered, though—through secure investigations—then the clubs involved will have to be punished.

"

The 71-year-old also hit back at claims Barca rewarded Tenerife in the 1990s, when the Canary Islanders handed the Blaugrana the title by beating Real on the final day of the season, per Torres: "Whoever says that is a liar. All Barcelona did was invite Tenerife to [pre-season matchup] the Gamper, not a euro was paid."

In March—after Barcelona thrashed Getafe 6-0—Real trailed their archrivals by 15 points in La Liga, and it looked as though Luis Enrique's side would have the title wrapped up with several games to spare.

However, a run of four league matches without a win for Barca from late March to April—which started with a 2-2 draw at Villarreal and included a 2-1 Clasico defeat to Real—set up a tight run-in that will culminate on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid dropped out of the running last time out, as they lost 2-1 to Levante, but Real are still in with a chance of stealing the title, per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones:

It would be Real's 33rd Spanish title—and one of the more unlikely—but Barca are still in the driving seat to claim a second consecutive Liga crown.

The reverse fixture between Granada and Barca at the Camp Nou back in January ended in a 4-0 home win, and since their blip in form, the Blaugrana have won four on the bounce, scoring 21 and conceding none. 

Indeed, the concern from the Barca end could be about Real offering Granada players rewards if they take points off them on Saturday.

It's a scenario already mooted by Nazaries goalkeeper Ivan Kelava, per Goal's Dubravko Milicic (via AS): "Given the celebrations [for avoiding relegation] we haven’t trained well this week, but my teammates have told me it’s standard for an incentive to be given to players at other clubs. So maybe Real Madrid will offer us a bonus for stopping Barcelona."

In all likelihood, though, both Real and Barca will win their respective final matches and the title will stay in Catalonia.