Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo was "visibly uncomfortable" while appearing in court to face allegations of tax evasion on Monday.
The Portugal captain has been accused of failing to pay €14.8m (£12.9m) in taxes between 2011 and 2014, and Spanish prosecutors allege that the four-time Ballon d'Or winner used a shell company in the Virgin Islands to hide €28.4m (£25m) of income earned from image rights.
Ronaldo was expected to address the waiting media outside the courtroom, but he ended up leaving in a car and instead released a statement pleading his innocence.
According to Marca, Ronaldo spoke for around 90 minutes during the hearing and was "visibly uncomfortable", so much so that at one point when asked if he needed the use of an interpreter, he responded with a steely, "No, I speak".
It is believed that more than 215 members of the press were outside the courtroom waiting for Ronaldo's appearance.
Danielle Joynson
