Tax: No way Jose, says Mourinho

Madrid – Jose Mourinho’s advisers have hit back at accusations that the Manchester United manager failed to pay millions of euros in taxes to the Spanish authorities during his time in charge of Real Madrid.

The 54-year-old Portuguese, who coached Madrid from 2010 to 2013, has been accused of “two offences against the public treasury”, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.

They claim that Mourinho, who took over at United last year, failed to declare €3.3 million during his time in the Spanish capital – €1.6m in 2011 and €1.7m in 2012.

But a statement released by Mourinho’s representatives Gestifute Media said he had not been informed personally of the accusations.

They also circulated a copy of a tax document dated July 3, 2015, which covers the period in question.

According to Gestifute, Mourinho “paid more than €26m in taxes, at an average rate above 41% and accepted regularisation proposals from the tax authorities in 2015 relating to the years 2011 and 2012, and resolved by agreement his situation for the year 2013”.

The statement also said that Mourinho had received a certificate from the authorities confirming that he was “up to date with all his tax obligations”.

The accusations come as Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was summoned to appear before a judge next month, accused of tax evasion of €14.7m. The 32-yearold Portuguese star is facing four charges of fraud through offshore companies between 2011 and 2014 and will appear before a judge on July 31, judicial sources said.

Both Ronaldo and Mourinho are clients of football super-agent Jorge Mendes, who has been summoned to appear before the court at Pozuelo de Alarcon, just outside Madrid, on June 27.