Brazil court maintains Neymar asset freeze

Neymar in action against Levante

A Brazilian judge has upheld a decision to seize assets belonging to star footballer Neymar worth 192.7 million reais (about $48 million).

Friday's ruling by federal court judge Roberto da Silva Oliveira quashed an appeal against an earlier decision and raised the original figure blocked last September by almost four million reais (around $2.5 million) due to interest, reports Xinhua.

Neymar is accused of evading 63.6 million reais (around $15.9 million) in taxes from 2011 to 2013. Most of the amount relates to Neymar's controversial transfer to Spanish club FC Barcelona from Santos in 2013.

Last week, Brazilian prosecutors recommended that Neymar face fraud charges for allegedly creating front companies to hide the true value of his income.

The Brazilian case is separate from fraud allegations against Neymar and his father in Spain. Both men denied any wrongdoing during a court appearance in Madrid last week to give evidence about the Barcelona transfer.