Barcelona forward Neymar and his parents will stand trial over alleged corruption, making the Brazilian the latest football superstar to have to take the stand, a Spanish court ordered on Thursday.
The National Court also ordered Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell to be sent to trial over Neymar’s transfer from Santos in 2013, accused both of corruption and fraud.
An initial court statement had said Neymar and his parents were also accused of fraud, but a detailed court document seen later by AFP revealed the trio have only been charged with “business corruption.”
The two clubs, Barcelona and Brazil’s Santos, have also been ordered to stand trial for fraud.
Neymar’s arrival from Brazil’s Santos has been a huge success for the Spanish champions on the pitch but a judicial nightmare off it.
