Spain taxmen give €2 m relief to Ronaldo

MADRID: After ordering football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to pay 18.7 million euros to settle a tax fraud claim, Spanish authorities have reduced the sum by two million euros, the El Mundo daily reported Friday.

Spain’s taxman and Ronaldo’s advisors made the deal to settle claims the 33-year-old, who has since moved to Italy’s Juventus, hid income generated from image rights while he was playing for Real Madrid.

The agreement also includes a two-year jail sentence which he won’t serve. Sentences of up to two years are generally not enforced in Spain for first-time offenders in non-violent crimes.

According to El Mundo, who had access to documents of the settlement, tax authorities realised he paid two million euros too much last year for image rights he sold in 2014.

That means he only has to pay 16.7 million euros, the report said.

It added that Ronaldo has already paid 13.4 million euros.

NEYMAR, MBAPPE UNDER SPOTLIGHT

PARIS: Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-germain 12 months ago in a bid to move out of Lionel Messi’s shadow and confirm his status as one of the world’s best players, but the Brazilian may have to share the mantle of talisman with teenage prodigy Kylian Mbappe this season.

The French champions start the defence of their Ligue 1 title against Caen at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, and all eyes will be on Neymar after he missed the final three months of last term with a foot injury.

Neymar returned in time for the World Cup, but failed to inspire Brazil to a record-extending sixth title as they suffered a 2-1 quarter-final loss to Belgium.

Mbappe, on the other hand, was named as the tournament’s best young player after scoring four goals -- including two in a scintillating individual performance against Argentina -- to help France lift the trophy.