Bartomeu and Rosell avoid Neymar Tax Trial

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and former club
chief Sandro Rosell were in Madrid on Monday morning to
appear in court over the Neymar transfer, but the pair
avoided testifying over the forward's controversial move
from Santos in 2013.

Bartomeu and Rosell maintained the version of events they
declared a year ago in the case concerning the alleged fiscal
fraud in the payment to the player's father prior to his
transfer to the Catalan club and therefore did not have to
give further testimony to judge Pablo Ruz in the capital.

Instead, the two men reiterated their previous statements in
the office of judge Jose de la Mata, who is investigating
their possible involvement in the alleged fraud regarding the
€40m paid to Neymar Senior ahead of the transfer to ensure
the forward would ultimately end up moving to Camp Nou.

Both Bartomeu and his predecessor continue to insist that
the player's transfer cost the €57.1m quoted at that time,
although additional costs published by Barca following
Rosell's resignation reveal that the club in fact paid out in
excess of €86m.

The prosecutor in this case - supermarket chain DIS - is
demanding more money after it was owed 40 per cent of the
total transfer but received only €6.8m (40% of the €17.1m
paid by Barca to Santos) instead of that percentage of the
€57.1m and the company will be entitled to a larger sum if it
is proved there was fraud in the payment by the Blaugrana
to the player's father.

Neymar, who has admitted his unease at the continued legal
problems, is due in court together with his father on
Tuesday in the case, which is separate from the ongoing
process investigating the total cost of his transfer from
Santos in 2013.