Former Real Madrid star Xabi Alonso is facing a possible five-year jail term after Spanish authorities accused him of tax fraud.
He joins a long list of Galacticos who have come a cropper with their image rights payments. Ronaldo and Barcelona star Messi have also been in trouble over their image rights. Most recently Sanchez was embroiled with the Spanish tax office.
Spanish prosecutors say he owes nearly €2m ($2.4m; £1.7m) in tax related to earnings from his image rights from 2010 to 2012, when the former Spanish international was playing for Real Madrid. They are also seeking a €4m fine.
Alonso, 36, who has also played for Liverpool, denies any wrongdoing.
The same sentence is being sought for the player’s financial adviser, Ivan Zaldua, as well as the manager of the Portuguese company he is alleged to have used to avoid tax Ignasi Maestre Casanova.
