MADRID - Barcelona's off-field strife despite their on-field success continued on Wednesday as Brazilian star Neymar was called to give evidence by Spain's national court on February 2 for alleged fraud surrounding his transfer to the Catalan giants in 2013.
Neymar starred as Barca won five trophies in 2015, but the manner in which his transfer from Santos came about has become a legal nightmare for the club, the player and his family.
Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu, his predecessor Sandro Rosell, Neymar's parents and two directors of Santos have also been called to declare.
Public prosecutors filed for action to be taken against all the parties after a complaint of fraud and corruption was launched by the Brazilian investment fund DIS, which held 40 percent of Neymar's sporting rights when he played at Santos, at the court in June 2015.
Bartomeu has been called on Februay 1, whilst Barcelona and Santos will also have to give evidence via representatives on February 9 and February 1 respectively. DIS has claimed it was cheated of its real share of the benefits of 23-year-old Neymar's transfer because part of the transfer fee was concealed by Barcelona and Santos. The deal was originally valued at 57.1 million euros ($62.1 million) by the Catalan club, 40 million of which was paid to the N&N company owned by the player's father with Santos receiving just 17.1 million.
However, Spanish judicial authorities have estimated the amount to be at least 83.3 million. DIS received 6.8 million euros ($7.7 million) out of the total 17.1 million that Barcelona paid to Santos, but claims it may also be due a share of the overall transfer payments.
In a separate lawsuit, a judge in May 2015 ordered Bartomeu, Rosell and the club itself to stand trial over alleged tax fraud linked to the signing. The scandal over the concealed transfer fee led to Rosell's resignation as president in January 2014 with then vice-president Bartomeu taking charge.
It is alleged the overall fee was split between a number of different contracts between Barcelona, Santos and Neymar himself. In doing so, Barcelona stand accused of defrauding the Spanish taxman of 12.7 million euros.
Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of two years and three months for Bartomeu and nearly seven years for Rosell, as well as a 22.2 million euro fine for the club. No date for a trial has been set so far.
A Brazilian court has also taken action freezing $47 million in assets belonging to Neymar over tax evasion allegations between 2011 and 2013. Neymar's fiscal problems haven't affected his form on the field as he finished third in FIFA's Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world on Monday.
However, it has cast some doubt over his future at the club with his father Neymar Sr saying he would seek tax assurances before signing an extension to his Barcelona deal, which expires in 2018, amid interest from Premier League giants Manchester United.
Neymar isn't the only Barca star in trouble with the Spanish authorities as recently crowned Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi faces trial on tax fraud charges along with his father for allegedly failing to declare 4.16 million euros ($4.69 million) in taxes related to his image rights between 2007 and 2009.
Yet, the series of legal scandals engulfing the club did less damage to Bartomeu's standing amongst Barca fans than expected as he comprehensively won club elections in July to retain his mandate until 2021.