Judge charges Barca with tax fraud over €57m Neymar deal

A Spanish court has charged La Liga champions Barcelona with tax fraud of €9.1 million over the transfer of Brazil forward Neymar.

Judge Pablo Ruz said in his decision, released in Madrid yesterday, that there was enough evidence to merit charges over Neymar’s €57m move from Santos last summer.

Ruz is also investigating former Barca president Sandro Rosell over the deal.

Rosell quit soon after it emerged €40m of the transfer was paid to a firm operated by Neymar’s father, who has been called on to testify by Ruz.

The decision comes a day after public prosecutor Jose Perals charged Barcelona with fabricating simulated contracts and using “financial engineering” to defraud the Spanish treasury.

Barcelona have denied the charges.