The Spanish Supreme Court upheld the acquittal of Neymar and two former Barcelona presidents in the long-running lawsuit surrounding the 2013 transfer.
Neymar has closed the chapter on his years-long lawsuit in Spain.
After years of dispute, the Supreme Court Tribunal Supremo officially closed one of the most contentious cases in the history of Spanish football transfers.
The Supreme Court has confirmed that Neymar, Sandro Rosell, and Josep Maria Bartomeu were acquitted in the corruption and fraud charges related to Barcelona's 2013 signing of the Brazilian striker.
According to the ruling, the indictment contained "inconsistencies," and there was no evidence to suggest that the parties intentionally committed fraud to deprive DIS of its economic interests. This entity once held a 40% stake in Neymar when he played for Santos.
DIS argued that they only received 6.8 million euros and that Barcelona structured the deal to reduce the actual transfer value. However, the court rejected this argument.
According to records, Barcelona spent 60 million euros on N&N Consultoria Esportiva between 2011 and 2013 across various categories. In addition, the club paid Santos 25 million euros, including transfer fees, priority rights to buy three young players, and friendly matches.
The court ruled that these payments could not be considered a crime. Any dispute would be a contractual matter within the framework of sports law, not a criminal case.
DIS had previously recommended a 2.6-year prison sentence for Neymar and Bartomeu, and a 4-year sentence for Neymar's father and Rosell.
Despite winning this lawsuit, Barcelona had previously been fined €5.5 million for two tax violations related to the deal. The club admitted responsibility, while Rosell and Bartomeu were not held personally accountable.