Just when we thought he was out, they pulled him back in.
Just days after prosecutors revealed they were prepared to drop charges against Lionel Messi and pursue a case of tax fraud against his father, a Spanish court has ruled that the Barcelona star will now stand trial.
Court documents show that the judge in charge of the case has rejected calls from prosecutors to leave Lionel Messi alone and now he and his father will face a trial for three counts of tax fraud totalling €4 million, that could see Messi face a 22-month prison sentence if found guilty.
Messi's father says his son wasn't in control of his finances.
Lawyers representing tax authorities in Spain have pleaded with courts to sentence both parties to jail, though that is unlikely as first-time offenders are usually handed suspended sentences in Spain.
It's alleged that Lionel and Jorge Messi used offshore banks in Belize and Uruguay to avoid paying tax on the player's earnings between 2007 and 2009.
No date has been set for the trial, which will take place 30 miles south of Barcelona.
[via BBC News]
