 |
| Neymar Jr. of Brazil celebrates after scoring the fourth goal of his team during a match between Peru and Brazil as part of South American Qualifiers for Qatar 2022 at Estadio Nacional de Lima on October 13, 2020 in Lima, Peru. |
Brazilian
superstar Neymar‘s
trial in Spain over his transfer to Barcelona in 2013 is expected to wrap up
Monday after Spanish prosecutors last week dropped their fraud charges against
the player.
The 30-year-old and the eight other defendants — including his
parents who manage his affairs and two former Barca presidents — will be
allowed to make closing arguments to the Barcelona court. Neymar, who now plays
for Paris Saint-Germain who on Wednesday face Juventus in the Champions League,
and his parents have been granted permission by the court to testify via video conference.
Spanish
prosecutors had been seeking a two-year prison term and a fine of 10 million
euros ($9.9 million) for Neymar, a key member of the Brazil team that will be
heading to the World Cup in Qatar in November.
But in a
surprise move, the state prosecutor withdrew all criminal charges against
Neymar and the rest of the accused, arguing there was not enough evidence
presented in court that a crime had been committed.
The trial
is continuing however because Brazilian investment company DIS, which jointly
brought the case, has maintained its accusation that the parties committed
fraud and corruption.
The case
centres on Neymar’s high-profile transfer from Santos, the Brazilian club where
he rose to global prominence, to Barcelona nearly a decade ago.
DIS,
owned by the founders of a supermarket chain, had a 40 percent stake in
Neymar’s sporting rights at the time of his move to Europe.
In a 2015
complaint filed by DIS in Spain, the firm claims that Neymar, Barcelona and the
Brazilian club colluded to mask the true cost of his transfer thereby
defrauding it of its legitimate financial interests.
Barca
said the transfer was valued at 57.1 million euros, with 40 million euros paid
to a company called N&N which manages Neymar’s affairs and 17.1 million to
Santos, of which 6.8 million was given to DIS.
Spanish
prosecutors have said they believe the actual value was at least 83 million
euros. DIS is seeking to recover 35 million euros.
Neymar
told the court on the second day of his trial on October 18 that he did not
remember if he took part in the negotiations over his transfer to Barca, and
that he only signed documents presented to him by his father.
“My
father has always been in charge,” he said in court. “I sign what he
tells me to.”
All of
the other defendants, including former Barca presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu
and Sandro Rosell,
also deny any wrongdoing.
State
prosecutor Luis Garcia suggested that the proper forum for the
claims made by DIS was a civil court, which deals with disputes between people
or organisations.
“DIS
has the right to feel that Neymar’s transfer should have given greater profit,
but I think it has picked the wrong jurisdiction,” he told the court on
Friday when he announced he was dropping charges.
Share this content:
