Mourinho accepts sentence in Spanish tax case: reports
MADRID: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has accepted a one-year prison sentence as part of a deal to settle a Spanish tax evasion case, El Mundo newspaper reported on Tuesday, although he is unlikely to actually serve any jail time.
Spanish law states that a sentence of under two years for a first offence can be served on probation. Mourinho’s representatives were not immediately available for comment. Manchester United and the Spanish tax agency both declined to comment.
Spanish prosecutors filed a claim against Mourinho last year on two counts of tax fraud dating back to when he coached Real Madrid. Mourinho left Real Madrid in 2013 to manage English club Chelsea for a second spell before signing with United in 2016. Spanish tax authorities had said the Portuguese manager owed €3.3 million.
They said Mourinho had already settled a previous claim relating to his Spanish taxes after a 2014 inquiry, which resulted in a penalty of €1.15 million. But tax authorities later found that some of the information presented in that settlement was incorrect, the prosecutors said.
BECKHAM TO FACE TRIAL OVER SPEEDING
LONDON: Former England football captain David Beckham on Tuesday pleaded not guilty on a technicality to a speeding offence in a loaned Bentley, and will face trial later this month.
The former Manchester United star, who played 115 times for his country, was caught driving the luxury car at 59 miles (94 kilometres) per hour in a 40 mph zone in London in January.
LOPETEGUI DOES NOT REGRET JOINING REAL
MADRID:REAL Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui has said he is over his turbulent sacking from the Spanish national team and does not regret joining the European champions even though it cost him the chance to manage at the World Cup.
“I simply took a decision and I would take the same one again, I did it in the most honest way possible and I don’t regret anything,” Lopetegui told Spanish radio station Onda Cero on Tuesday.
TIM CAHILL SET FOR HOME SWANSONG
SYDNEY: Tim Cahill will play his 108th – and last – game for Australia in November before ending his international career.
The 38-year-old Cahill, who has scored a record 50 goals for the Socceroos, will be honored by his country at the November 20 friendly against Lebanon at the Olympic Stadium.
Cahill recently signed for Indian club Jamshedpur.