Mourinho pays to settle Spanish tax fraud case

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that he paid a fee to settle accusations of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities.

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Speaking to media on Friday after a brief court appearance in Madrid, Mourinho said the tax fraud case relating to his time in charge of Real Madrid is now closed, reports the BBC.

In June, it was confirmed that the high-profile Portuguese football manager faced two counts of tax fraud totalling €3.3m (£2.9m, $3.85m) dating back to 2011/12.

After the hearing, Mourinho said: “I left Spain in 2013 with the information and the conviction that my tax situation was perfectly legal.

“A couple of years later I was informed that an investigation had been opened and I was told that in order to regularise my situation I had to pay ‘X’ amount.”

Mourinho did not say how much he had to pay.

“I did not answer, I did not argue. I paid and signed with the state that I am in compliance and the case is closed,” he told assembled media.

Spain’s football focus

Tax and football have gone hand in hand in recent years, with some of the most high-profile players in the world appearing in court.

In July, fellow Portuguese sporting legend Cristiano Ronaldo sat before a Madrid court facing up to three and a half years in jail for evading €14.7m in taxes since 2010.

He denied the charges, saying that: “If I wasn’t called Cristiano Ronaldo I wouldn’t be sat here.”

The case is still on going.

Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi faced similar charges and was found guilty. Under Spanish law, however, sentences of less than two years can be served on probation.

His prison sentence was later replaced with a €255,000 fine.