Tax Evasion: Messi And Father To Be Tried May 31

Spanish Authority have confirmed that Lionel Messi and his father, Jorge, will be tried in a regional superior court on May 31 for allegedly evading tax 2007 and 2009.

The recently crowned Ballon d'Or winner for a record fifth time, and his father Jorge have been charged with tax fraud for allegedly failing to declare 4.16 million euros ($4.69 million) in taxes related to his image rights, and the trial has been scheduled to run until June 3, the Catalan Superior Court of Justice said in a statement.

State prosecutors are asking for both men to be sentenced to prison terms of 22 months and a half.

Last month the pair were cleared of separate allegations relating to charitable friendlies played in 2012 and 2013 after a judge heard testimony from an Argentine businessman who organised the matches.

The player had been investigated in that case to see if he had failed to declare to the tax man any revenue made from taking part in a series of friendlies in Mexico, Colombia, the United States and Peru.