Despite calls from prosecutors to drop the prosecution of Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi over alleged tax evasion, a court in Spain has decided to move forward with the case.
The Argentine player and his father, Jorge Messi, are accused of defrauding the Spanish state of £3.1m (€4m) from 2006 to 2009 with false returns, an action both the father and son have publicly denied committing.
Back in June, the prosecutor of the case stressed the 27-year-old Blaugrana star's father was responsible for all the player's finances, meaning Messi could not have possibly been at fault for this wrongdoing, thus advised the case against La Albiceleste captain be dropped.
However, the court have decided against omitting the four-time Ballon d'Or winner on the possibility that he "could have known about and approved the creation of a web of shell companies that were allegedly used to evade taxes due on income from image rights", claims the Guardian.
Barcelona court to continue with the prosecution of Lionel Messi over alleged tax fraud
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This might come as bad news for Messi, one of the highest-paid athletes in the world, making £23.5m in salary and bonuses, and approximately £23.5 in sponsors (per Forbes).
The player, ranked fourth highest-paid athlete behind boxer Floyd Mayweather, Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo, Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Lebron James, finished last season trophy-less with Barcelona and lost the World Cup final in extra time, and thus will be looking to focus on the upcoming season.
Will this hurt the Barca star ahead of the upcoming 2014-15 La Liga and Champions League season?
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