FC Barcelona: appeal to the Supreme Court after an appeal against a €23m income tax fine is rejected

FC Barcelona (LALIGA EA Sports) "has been informed of the verdict on income tax (IRPF) of the National Court (Audiencia Nacional) regarding the appeal presented by the club with respect to the tax inspection concerning payments made to players' agents between 2012 and 2015" and "shall be presenting an appeal to the Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo)," announced the club on 09/02/2024.

Accused of fraudulent payments to several agents, the Catalan club was ordered in 2020 to pay nearly €23m to the Spanish tax authorities. The Central Economic Administrative Court accused the club of having paid agents in the name of footballers, in order to conceal direct payments to the latter that should have been subject to income tax.

"It comes as a surprise that the Contentious-Administrative house at the National Court has not considered the most recent jurisprudence of the Supreme Court on this matter, from which certain other football clubs have been able to benefit in recent sentences on the same matter. The divergent criteria of the National Court is also surprising when, a few months ago…