Lionel Messi is set to return to court in Barcelona on Tuesday, as he will have to answer questions from a judge over claims that he evaded millions in tax money owed to the Spanish government.
The Argentine ace, who recently won a league and cup double with Barcelona this month, will soon travel to the United States to report for national team duty, as La Albiceleste gear up for their Copa America Centenario campaign. However, before he can board a plane, he must tackle one more hurdle in his legal battle.
Ahead of his trial, Catalan newspaper El Periodico claim to have the scoop one what the five-time Ballon d’Or winner told a judge in a previous trial in 2013. According to them, the 28-year-old appears to put the blame on his old man.
Jorge Horacio, father of La Pulga, is also facing tax evasion charges after being accused of defrauding the government of €4.1m from 2007 and 2009. With that in mind, El Periodico claim that Leo stated in court that he never reads the contracts handed to him by his father.
According to the report, the Barca man said (as per Marca): "I trust my father, who takes care of my business.
"Whatever he tells me to do, I do."
Messi's father Jorge Horacio (pictured below) is also facing tax evasion charges alongside his son
The 28-year-old also reportedly denied reading deals presented to him by his father when asked by a judge, saying:
"I sign everything, but I never read the contracts.
"I don't know what I'm signing," the Argentine added.
Jorge is Messi’s manager, and thus handles many of the Blaugrana ace’s affairs. If found guilty, both the father and son could be handed jail sentence and spend time behind bars as punishment.
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