FC Barcelona News: Legal Battles Distracting Neymar Already
FC Barcelona star forward Neymar has been in the headlines recently regarding his on-and-off field issues.
As far as the things going on outside the playing field, Neymar and his father were recently drawn into a legal battle when both were asked to testify in a case involving investment firm DIS.
The Neymars were asked to appear before the Audiencia Nacional, the Spanish national court where DIS alleges that they were sideswiped about 40 percent of their supposed due when the 23-year-old forward signed up with Barca, a previous Latin Post reports said.
"DIS, which held 40 percent of Neymar's sports rights when he was in Brazil, claims it only received that percentage for €17.1 million that Santos was allegedly paid for the Brazilian when, according to high court investigations, the deal cost €83.3 million (£62 million)," as reported by The Guardian in mid-January.
Prior to his appearance in court, Neymar admitted that he was worried because it was starting to creep up on his family.
“When things begin to affect my family, it influences [me] a little - you do worry. However, I’ve been given a gift from God which allows me to focus on what I like doing, which is playing football. I just concentrate on what I have to do. My dad just wants me to dedicate myself to playing and to focus on the ball,” says Neymar via Sport.
Aside from them, former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell and current president Maria Bartomeu will also be appearing in court. Like the Neymars, both claimed that they did nothing wrong. It was in 2014 when Barcelona reportedly paid £11.2 million to Spanish authorities but denied any wrongdoing, per BBC.
Neymar saw some of his assets frozen amidst tax evasion charges. This is apparently one of the reasons that his family has become worried.
Neymar has so far been able to fend off the legal distractions. However, the latest developments seem to have radiated a bit to merit some attention. The Brazilian captain also adds that his father is on top of the situation, but it is obvious that he is being affected by the whole proceedings as well.
It will be interesting what happens from the court proceedings and if such can be resolved. Neymar had already made a previous request to dismiss the probe on the irregularities but the national court thumbed it down.
“The judge ... believes that the prosecutor’s requests are ‘relevant, necessary and balanced’ for them to require an examination of the facts,” the court said in a statement as quoted by Sky Sports.
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