Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano has pleaded guilty to tax evasion, according to reports in Spain.
However, the Argentine international looks set to avoid the prison time that typically accompanies the crime.
Mascherano admitted to not paying his due taxes back in October, when he confessed that a sum of €2m (£1.4m) had gone undeclared.
As punishment for this and another misdemeanour, the midfielder has accepted that he will pay a fine of €816,000 and will receive a one-year prison sentence…although it’s highly unlikely he will ever see time.
Mascherano prison: Will midfielder avoid time behind bars?
The midfielder will likely have to undergo a trial, but according to Marca, the fact that the prosecution and the defence have found common ground should avoid the necessity of putting Mascherano behind bars!
As well as the fine, Masch was told to pay back the €1.6m he owed the taxman, making for an expensive few months for the South American.
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The midfielder-cum-centre-back has been at Barcelona since 2010, after having spent three years at Liverpool.
He is a three-time La Liga champion, and also won the Champions League on two occasions—in 2011 and 2015.