FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi reportedly wants to sue Spanish newspaper El Mundo after the publication accused him of tax fraud.
Read: Neymar In More Trouble At Barca
Messi and his family have released a statement in which they announced their intention to take legal action against the publication after it claimed the 28-year-old was involved in tax fraud connected to two charity matches organised by his foundation in 2012 and 2013.
According to Sport, the statement read: "The article which appeared in the newspaper El Mundo on September 29, 2015, suggesting the FC Barcelona and Argentina player Lionel Messi committed a tax offence in relation to the charity matches organised by the Leo Messi Foundation between 2012 and 2013 under the name: Messi and friends vs. the rest of the world."
The statement further claims that Messi, his father and the Foundation "have never been part of any criminal proceedings or proceedings of any other nature in relation to the organisation of these charity matches and/or the income derived from them".
It also insisted that the player and the Messi Foundation did not receive any money from the matches and that "there is no legal or judicial (evidence) to continue insisting on linking the player" with such tax offences.
Read: Messi Involved In Charity Fraud?
That is why "the player and those closest to him will not tolerate this journalism that tries to associate him with false stories that go directly against his reputation. Therefore, the lawyer, Gonçalves Pereira, will lead legal action (against El Mundo) to guarantee honour and integrity is upkept."
Do you think Messi or his family would get involved in tax fraud? Have your say in the comments section below.
