Messi Tax Case Could Open Pandora’s Box
goal reports today that Lionel Messi has been ordered to pay over 5 million euros in taxes owed to the Spanish state as a result of the tax evasion case that was broken just a few months ago. Messi and his representatives have apparently accepted that the Barcelona striker has illegally avoided taxation, and have evidently decided to stump up the vast figure of €5,016,542.27 to the Spanish authorities to prevent Messi from facing a possible prison sentence (thank God the state insisted on recovering the 27 cents!).
With the Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness having been recently charged with tax evasion as recently as July, and the recent change in tax laws in Spain which mean that the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, and now Gareth Bale, will have to pay 52% of their salary in taxation, this could send shockwaves through the European game and the Spanish game in particular. Of course, multi, multi-millionaires will receive little sympathy in these austere times, particularly with Spain in such a dismal economic state, but one has to say that no-one would like to willingly stump up millions of earned income for what will be seen as no good reason whatsoever.
Will this affect the balance of power in Europe? Watch this space…
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