Barcelona

Lionel Messi 'dropped from tax fraud case by Spanish state prosecutor'

Published: June 18 2014 | 12:53

Last updated: June 18 2014 | 17:35

Barcelona star Lionel Messi is reportedly dropped from a case regarding alleged tax fraud at the request of the state prosecutor.

Lionel Messi's PR team have reportedly confirmed that the Barcelona star has been dropped from a tax fraud case, which also involves his father Jorge.

The authorities opened the case against the pair in June last year regarding alleged unpaid taxes relating to Messi's image rights from 2007 to 2009, which amounted to £3.2m.

According to The AP, the state prosecutor has asked for Messi to be removed from the case, but the Argentina international's father remains under investigation.

"[The prosecutor's request shows that] the player was unaware and on the margin of the financial and business structure that his financial advisers had created to manage his income and obligatory fiscal payments," Messi's PR team reportedly said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the former Ballon d'Or winner got off the mark in Brazil by scoring in a 2-1 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina at the World Cup on Sunday.