BARCELONA TO APPEAR IN COURT OVER NEYMAR

Prosecutors demanded for charges of fraud and corruption to be filed against Neymar, Barcelona and Santos in relation to the Brazil international’s move to Barcelona.


The club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu and predecessor Sandro Rosell have also been included in the case which was brought up by Brazilian investment company, DIS.

National Court judge, Jose de la Mata previously thrashed the case out of the court in July over a lack of evidence that’s more than reasonable doubt, but that decision was overturned last month. At the moment, the prosecution has now called for the charges to be processed again.

The Brazilian Investment Company claim they are due a 40% share of the transfer fee that Barcelona paid to sign Neymar from Santos in 2013, which is claimed to have not been received in full, given the secrecy over the full cost of the transfer.

Barca initially claimed that Neymar cost a total of €57m, as time passed on, another price was later disclosed to be a lot greater, and with Bartomeu claiming over €100m was ultimately spent on the transfer of the Brazilian international to Camp Nou.

Barcelona have protested their innocence throughout the matter, with Neymar emphasizing “I’m not a criminal” when the proceedings were initially thrown out.

“In this trial, FC Barcelona will maintain the argument they have always defended during this long process and will demonstrate the innocence of all the investigated parties,” the board said in a statement

The case is not related to a second legal proceeding against Barcelona and Neymar, which concerned allegations of tax fraud in relation to his transfer.

FC Barcelona made a payment of €14.8m to Spanish authorities in back taxes and other fines, while they also reportedly made a voluntary payment of a further €13.5m to silence the complaint.