Five years following Neymar tumultuously ended his career at Barcelona, the Brazilian striker will face trial in Spain to determine whether he and others committed fraud when he joined the Catalan club from Santos in 2013. In a trial which will open on Monday in Barcelona, Neymar, his father and the former managers of FC Barcelona and Brazilian club Santos will face charges of fraud and unfair competition.
They are accused of concealing the true cost of his transfer in order to avoid paying the money DIS, a private Brazilian company, says is owed to him as the rightful owner of 40 per cent of Neymar’s playing rights . DIS demands that Neymar, his father, also called Neymar and who acts as an agent, as well as former FC Barcelona managers Sandro Rosell and Josep Bartomeu be imprisoned for five years.
All of the defendants have denied any wrongdoing.
The trial is expected to last until the end of October, when the World Cup opens on November 20 in Qatar. Neymar will be forced to attend unless the judge grants him permission to miss a session.
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