Lionel Messi, the Barcelona forward, has released a state-ment denying any wrongdoing after reports claiming the Spanish tax authorities are investigating allegations he and his father defrauded the state of €4m (£3.4m).
Reports emerged alleging the four-time reigning World Player of the Year and his father, Jorge Horacio, were suspected of filing fraudulent tax returns between 2007 and 2009. The Argentine insisted he had done nothing wrong, though, in a statement on his official Facebook page.
It read: "We have just known through the media about the claim filed by the Spanish tax authorities. We are surprised about the news, because we have never committed any infringement. We have always fulfilled our tax obligations."
