Barcelona's Neymar getting distracted by legal troubles
Barcelona’s brilliant Brazilian says the continuous legal issues surrounding his transfer to Barcelona has affected both him and his family in a huge way. The 23-year-old Barcelona winger is due in a Madrid court on Tuesday to give evidence in a case brought by Brazilian third party investment fund DIS, who feel they have not received their share of the sum involved in the transfer of Neymar from Santos to Barcelona.
Along with Neymar, the players’ parents are also due to give evidence on Tuesday by video conference while Barcelona bigwigs like the current president Josep Maria Bartomeu and predecessor Sandro Rossel are expected at the Audencia Nacional court on Monday.
This particular case is just one among the many legal tangles involved in the complex deal with the tax authorities in both Spain and Brazil looking into the alleged irregularities of the transfer. Neymar also revealed that his father has been a pillar of support for him in these testing times and while his father advised him to only concentrate on playing football, it was proving to be difficult.
"When the issue starts to affect your family, it affects you a bit," the Brazil captain said in an interview with Globo TV. "It worries you. However, I am a guy who God has given the power to be focused in what I like to do, which is play football.
"I focus just on doing what I have to do. My father just wants me to focus on playing and on the ball. When you see the person you love being attacked, suffering, people saying things which are not true... then it hurts you. Before speaking without knowledge, telling lies, you must present proof."
Neymar’s transfer fee was shown as just €17m
Although the transfer fee widely reported for Neymar was €83m, the deal was done in such a way that the official fee was shown as only €17 million with the majority of the extra money being described as various personal payments to Neymar and his family.
DIS who had a third-party ownership deal with Neymar owned 40% of Neymar’s rights when he was at Santos. DIS just received €6.8m [40 percent of €17m], however, they feel they are due around €33m in total [40 percent of €83m] which they believe is the true price of the transfer.
Neymar’s father Neymar Sr. also in the same interview said that he wanted the whole thing to be resolved as early as possible.
"We want to put an end to this situation," he said. "It is the time to say 'enough'. If they're looking for attention, they will get it. We will clear up this issue for once and for all. I wanted the courts to resolve it, but we are tired of this already and want it all cleared up as quickly as possible."
"There is nothing against us," he said. "The judge has called us to know about Neymar's transfer. If we have made a mistake, there is no problem, but to accuse us of tax evasion I think the red lines have already been crossed."