BARCELONA: Paris St Germain and Brazil soccer star Neymar Jr. and eight others go on trial in Barcelona on Monday charged with fraud and corruption over the player's transfer to Barcelona from Santos in 2013.
Neymar and his father landed in Spain early on Monday morning and hopped in a van towards downtown Barcelona after the football player took the time to sign an autograph for a fan at the city's airport, a Reuters witness said.
Spanish prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison term and a 10 million euro ($9.8 million) fine for Neymar. They are also seeking a five-year jail term for former Barca president Sandro Rosell and an 8.4 million euro fine for the club.
The case centres on the claim made by Brazilian investment firm DIS, which owned 40% of the rights to Neymar when he was at Santos, that it lost out on its rightful cut from the player's transfer because the value of the deal was understated.
DIS has demanded a much heavier five-year jail term for Neymar, fines worth 149 million euros in total, and for the player to be disqualified from playing for the length of any sentence handed down by the judge.
Along with Neymar, 30 - who is expected to be at the court on Monday morning - the defendants include his parents, representatives of the two clubs, former Barca presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Rosell, and former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues.
The court has ordered all to attend at 10:00am (0800 GMT) on Monday.
"Neymar, with the connivance of his parents and the boards of directors of Barcelona and Santos, betrayed the trust of my clients," DIS lawyer Paulo Nasser told a news conference in Barcelona on Thursday.
"The real cost of the transaction (between Santos and Barcelona) was 82 million euros, and only 17 million appeared as the official transfer," Nasser said.
He said that Neymar was also not sold to the highest bidder, as there were other clubs that offered up to 60 million euros for his services.
All the defendants have previously denied several times any wrongdoing.
Law firm Baker McKenzie, who is defending Neymar and his family, said in a statement that they will argue that the Spanish courts "lack jurisdiction to prosecute the Neymar family" because the transfer involved a Brazilian national in Brazil.
Neymar, a key member of the Brazil team that will be heading to the World Cup in Qatar next month, lost an appeal over the case in Spain's High Court in 2017, clearing the way for the trial.
It was unclear if Neymar would be asked to stay for the whole hearing, which is expected to last seven days.
Neymar was crucial to PSG's victory against arch-rival Olympique de Marseille on Sunday evening, scoring the only goal of the match. The team will face Ajaccio on Friday in Ligue 1, before hosting Maccabi Haifa in a Champions League game on Oct. 25.
On Monday afternoon the court is due to hear from André Cury, Barca's former point man in Brazil, whose statement and details on the negotiations over the player are expected to be key for the case.
Reuters
Mon Oct 17 2022
Brazil's Neymar arrives at Josep Tarradellas BarcelonaEl Prat Airport before attending court to stand trial on fraud and corruption charges over the transfer to FC Barcelona from Santos in 2013, Spain - October 17, 2022. - REUTERS
[INFOGRAFIK] Letusan Gunung Ruang
Berikut adalah info berkenaan dengan letusan Gunung Ruang di Wilayah Sulawesi Utara.
Kanak-kanak perempuan 8 tahun cedera dipercayai jadi mangsa buli anak jiran
Polis mengesahkan menerima laporan kejadian kanak-kanak berusia lapan tahun, dipercayai menjadi mangsa buli anak jiran di Hulu Langat, di sini baru-baru ini.
Perang Iran-Israel, kesan kepada geopolitik Asia Barat
Penasihat Kehormat, Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE), Prof Madya Dr Hafidzi Mohd Noor memberikan analisis semasa mengenai perang Iran dan Israel serta kesannya kepada geopolitik di Asia Barat.
Colombia bergelut masalah air, takungan negara kering
Rakyat di seluruh Colombia bergelut dengan catuan air apabila takungan di negara itu kering.
Menurut National Interconnected System XM, takungan di Colombia telah jatuh mendadak kepada paras di bawah 28.75% daripada kapasitinya.
Menurut National Interconnected System XM, takungan di Colombia telah jatuh mendadak kepada paras di bawah 28.75% daripada kapasitinya.
Ketua tentera Kenya maut dalam nahas helikopter
Ketua tentera Kenya, Francis Ogolla, meninggal dunia dalam nahas helikopter di bahagian barat negara itu pada Khamis.
Perkara itu diumumkan Presiden Kenya, William Ruto dalam ucapan yang disiarkan di televisyen.
Perkara itu diumumkan Presiden Kenya, William Ruto dalam ucapan yang disiarkan di televisyen.
Jangan panik berita palsu tsunami di Sulawesi - BASARNAS
Susulan amaran tsunami yang dikeluarkan Badan Geologi Kementerian Tenaga dan Sumber Daya Mineral Indonesia di Sulawesi akibat letusan Gunung Ruang.
Pegawai Komunikasi Badan Nasional Pencarian dan Pertolongan (BASARNAS) Manado, Feri Ariyanto menasihatkan kepada penduduk Indonesia dan negara sekitar supaya tidak panik dengan berita palsu di media sosial.
Pegawai Komunikasi Badan Nasional Pencarian dan Pertolongan (BASARNAS) Manado, Feri Ariyanto menasihatkan kepada penduduk Indonesia dan negara sekitar supaya tidak panik dengan berita palsu di media sosial.
Ruang udara Sulawesi merbahaya, buat penerbangan dan manusia
Penutupan lapangan terbang dan ruang udara bagi penerbangan komersial di Sulawesi dan kawasan terjejas adalah berpandukan kepada arahan pihak berkuasa Indonesia.
Justeru Pegawai Komunikasi Badan Nasional Pencarian dan Pertolongan (BASARNAS) Manado, menasihatkan orang ramai patuh kepada arahan, kerana abu volkano yang terlepas di udara adalah merbahaya, terutamanya hubungan secara terus kepada manusia.
Justeru Pegawai Komunikasi Badan Nasional Pencarian dan Pertolongan (BASARNAS) Manado, menasihatkan orang ramai patuh kepada arahan, kerana abu volkano yang terlepas di udara adalah merbahaya, terutamanya hubungan secara terus kepada manusia.
Polis tumpas sindiket bekal sistem rekod, kira wang kepada pusat panggilan
Polis menumpaskan sindiket membekalkan sistem rekod dan mengira wang kepada pusat panggilan bagi menjalankan penipuan dalam talian yang menumpukan kepada warga China.
Malaysia kecewa AS veto, halang PBB iktiraf negara Palestin
Malaysia melahirkan kebimbangan dan kekecewaan susulan tindakan Amerika Syarikat menggunakan veto untuk menghalang Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNSC) daripada mengiktiraf Palestin sebagai ahli penuh Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) walaupun seruan jelas oleh majoriti ahli PBB.
Layanan dwi-standard bukti keseimbangan dunia semakin sukar dicapai
Felo Operasi Psikologi Pusat Pengajian Perang Saraf Media & Informasi UITM, Dr. Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin berkata, perkara itu berlaku disebabkan pertembungan ideologi yang berbeza antara banyak negara.
Bapa Neymar pertahan anaknya daripada kecaman
Berdepan kecaman tentang prestasi, bapa Neymar menempelak kritikan terhadap anaknya itu di Instagram.