Spain's Supreme Court on Wednesday confirmed the acquittal of former FC Barcelona player Neymar and former presidents of the Catalan club Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu on charges of corruption and fraud in connection with the signing of the Brazilian.
The Spanish Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court rejected the appeals against the ruling of the Barcelona Provincial Court, which had already determined that there was no crime in the acquisition of the player. According to available information, the Supreme Court found that the proven facts reflect "the inconsistency of the accusation."
Neymar was signed by Barcelona from Santos in 2013. He hit his prime in La Liga, forming a formidable frontline alongside Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi before making a move to PSG for a world-record fee.
"There was no corruption in business dealings or any other wrongdoing. Not by the player, his representatives, or FC Barcelona. It was all due to a sporting decision by the club, which wanted to secure his signing and then decided to bring it forward," the Supreme Court reportedly stated.
The case dates back to 2015, when the Brazilian company DIS, owner of 40% of Neymar's federative rights, went to the Spanish courts. It reportedly accused Barca, Neymar, and his entourage of having hidden from it the real value of the controversial transfer of the Brazilian star.
DIS, which at the time received the equivalent of €6.8 million, not only objected to the financial aspect but also expressed its dissatisfaction at not having been informed of an alleged exclusivity contract, NTN24 said in a report. This contract, it claimed, distorted free competition in their attempt to acquire the superstar.