Barcelona charged with tax fraud over Neymar deal

Neymar's high-profile move to the Catalan capital from Santos in the close season was initially shrouded in mystery and it was unclear what exactly was paid to whom and when.

              

After president Sandro Rosell stepped down last month following an allegation of misappropriation of funds made by a club member, Barca admitted Neymar had cost 86.2 million euros ($118.6 million), including payments to the player and his family, and not 57.1 million as they originally said.

              

"Judge Pablo Ruz has charged FC Barcelona with an infringement against the tax authority relating to the purchase of the Brazilian player (Neymar)," a spokesman for the Madrid court hearing the case said on Thursday.

              

The judge had requested Barca's tax records relating to the Neymar deal and had asked the tax authority to calculate the scale of the alleged fraud.

              

Barca denied wrongdoing after local media reported on Wednesday that Spain's public prosecutor had asked the judge to lay charges.

              

"The club's actions have, at all times, regarding that operation (to sign Neymar) and in line with the available information, been fully compliant with existing law," Barca said in a statement.

              

The Spanish champions added they would be sending legal representatives to court "in the coming days" to defend their rights and interests.

              

"At the same time (Barca) states its complete availability to collaborate with the justice authorities in this process, as it has been doing from the first moment, or in any other that might require its intervention."

              

Barca's institutional problems do not appear to be affecting their results on the pitch and they secured a 2-0 win away to English Premier League side Manchester City in Tuesday's Champions League last 16, first leg.

              

They are also joint top of La Liga with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid with 14 games left and through to the final of the King's Cup to face Real.

 (Agencies)

Source: Sports News

Virat Kohli a combination of Sachin, Sehwag and Dravid: Crowe

Crowe feels that Kohli is the "beacon in this rebuilding team" who will need to rapidly learn to become a true leader and a role model for millions.

    

"In some ways, this young giant (Kohli) is a combination of all those three (Sehwag, Tendulkar and Dravid), learning a bit from them all to shape his own unique creation. He is the next chosen one. He exudes the intensity of Rahul, the audacity of Virender, and the extraordinary range of Sachin. That doesn't make him better, simply sui generis, his own unique kind," Crowe wrote in his column.

    

"At present, he is a beacon in this rebuilding team, while some of those around him who have come in to fill the void left by the big three struggle to cope. Already he is the leader of the batting line-up, with just 22 Tests to his name, and so a huge responsibility beckons," Crowe pointed out.

    

Crowe reckoned that Kohli has quickly grown from being a "pupil to teacher" from the time he saw a precocious but immensely talented teenager as the coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore during the first edition of IPL.

    

"In many ways, he follows the essence of life: loving what he does and doing what he loves, and learning all he can, often at a rapid pace. Kohli has gone from pupil to teacher quickly, and his next level is to become a master. That he will achieve. It's in his eyes,” he said.

    

"I watched this young 19-year-old when he joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008, for the inaugural IPL. Often he fell victim to his own seduction, his growing, glowing image, mixed in with his confusion about who to bat and be like, as he had so many choices. I often encouraged him to simply play straighter, be wiser in shot selection, put the odds more in his favour," Crowe said.

 (Agencies)

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