Barcelona Reportedly To Pay Spanish Tax Authorities $12.4M To Avoid Tax Fraud Charges

Barcelona will pay the Spanish tax authorities the more than €9M ($12.4M) that the club "supposedly avoided in taxes in the various contracts it signed to bring in Neymar," according to Manel Pérez of LA VANGUARDIA. The decision "could be confirmed by Barcelona's board by Monday." The "payment is related to the 25% fee the club should have paid in taxes when it distributed €38M to various companies linked to Neymar" (LA VANGUARDIA, 2/23). In Madrid, MARCA reported Barcelona's legal advisers "have been drawing up a complementary tax return which, despite being submitted outside the usual period, would clear the club of any criminal liability and would not imply an acceptance of the charges it has been levied with." In addition, "such a move would decrease any fine the club is hit with on top" (MARCA, 2/23).