YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Football player of Argentine national team and Spanish “Barcelona” club Lionel Messi causes great scandal. It was revealed that the midfielder evaded taxes for a long time and now has to stand trial. “Armenpress” reports, citing BBC, that Messi and his father Jorge are accused of defrauding Spain of more than €4m. They deny any wrongdoing.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the tax authorities demanded 22-month jail sentences for both defendants.

Prosecutors allege that Jorge avoided paying tax on his son's earnings by using offshore companies in Belize and Uruguay in 2007-09.

Messi's lawyers had argued that the player had "never devoted a minute of his life to reading, studying or analyzing" the contracts, El Pais newspaper reported earlier.

No date has been set for the trial of the 28-year-old footballer - the four-time World Player of the Year and one of the richest athletes in the world.

In June, the high court in Barcelona ruled that Messi should not be granted impunity for not knowing what was happening with his finances, which were being managed in part by his father.