Will Lionel Messi have to pay €41 million to avoid tax evasion charges?

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona’s star striker Lionel Messi and his family have dismissed reports suggesting that he has to pay €41 million in order to overcome the charges of tax evasion.

The Argentine, who was investigated at the end of 2013 for non-compliance with regards to payment of taxes, made a payment of €5 million to cover all money due of the period of investigation. The Spanish Court is still waiting to pass its verdict regarding all the money owning cases.

Barcelona newspaper La Vanguardia reported, “This huge figure includes the €10m back-payment submitted last year, the potential fine that a court could impose on him and the €25m (€20m net) that has been set by the Hacienda for tax years which had not been part of the scope of the inspection.”

However, the Messi family has furiously rejected such claims made by the newspaper.

Spanish newspaper Marca was contacted by a source on Messi’s management team who said, “[It is] false. What they have published is not right.

“There has been no new development or new payment. We are awaiting the ruling of the judge and until then we will not comment.

“But what we want to make clear is that the figures that have appeared in this story are incorrect and not in line with the real ones,” the source added.