A Spanish court has cleared Neymar of possible fraud and corruption charges. Previously, the Brazilian and PSG star faced hefty fines and even a possible prison sentence in the case.
In addition to the footballer, the court also acquitted all the defendants. These included Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, as well as Neymar’s parents.
The crux of the case revolved around Neymar’s move from Santos to Barcelona in 2013. Investment firm DIS accused the player, his father and Barça of essentially hiding the true cost of the transfer. This would have meant that the defendants were attempting to pay the DIS an incorrect amount of money. The company previously had a partial stake in Neymar’s player rights.
DIS does not prove that Neymar has committed fraud or corruption
However, the court disagreed with the plaintiff. According to the Associated Press, the Spanish court released a statement saying DIS failed to prove his point. “It has not been proven that the contract was wrong or that DIS was intended to be harmed,” the official statement read.
The decision comes at a time when Neymar could use some good news. Brazil were recently knocked out of the 2022 World Cup by Croatia. The epic quarter-final match ended in a penalty shoot-out. While Neymar scored during the match, Brazil were beaten 4-2 on penalties.
Ronaldo asks Neymar to seek psychological support
After the defeat, Neymar was in tears and even hinted that the match could be the last for Brazil. Legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo said Neymar should be treated mentally. “I would recommend having psychological support to resist this pressure, which is extremely disproportionate for people,” Ronaldo told Brazilian newspaper Globo.
“Neymar will return with the same passion and drive,” Ronaldo continued. “But I wanted to reiterate this need to monitor the mental health of our players… It’s very important to address this issue, especially when it comes to the World Cup where the whole world is watching the national team. The world was watching Neymar.”
The star forward is now receiving a much needed time-out before returning to France. PSG will play their next Ligue 1 match at home against Strasbourg on 28 December.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Sportpressefoto
