Neymar has denied any wrongdoing over fraud charges brought against him and his family by investment firm DIS in Barcelona court.
Paris Saint-Germain and French Ligue 1 forward Neymar Jr told a court on Tuesday that he did not participate in negotiations over his transfer to his “dream club” Barcelona from Santos in 2013.
Neymar stated that he only signed what his father had told him to sign in the process of the contract negotiation.
Neymar stated this at the Barcelona court as he begins the process to defend himself of the charges brought against him and other defendants by DIS.
Also appearing in court for the case are Neymar’s parents, former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell and representatives for the Spanish club and the Brazilian team.
A total of eight defendants are also paraded as defendants along with Neymar to answer to fraud and corruption charges involving the transfer of the 30-year-old winger to Barcelona in 2013.
On the list of defendants are Neymar’s parents, two former Barcelona presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandra Rossell, and former Santos President, Odillo Rodrigues.
Defending himself in the court, Neymar maintained that he never took any step throughout the deal without his father.
According to him, his father was in charge of all transactions and decisions during the transfer. He also added that playing for Barcelona was his dream.
“I didn’t participate in the negotiations. My father always took care of it and always will. I sign everything he tells me to sign,” Neymar said in his first testimony.
“Playing for Barcelona was always my dream, a childhood dream.”
Neymar’s fraud trial has been initiated by Brazilian investment firm DIS.
DIS owned 40% of the rights to Neymar while he was playing for Santos in Brazil. The firm reportedly bought the right worth £16m to Neymar’s transfer when he was 17.
The firm is arguing that they lost out on the transfer of Neymar from Santos to Barcelona because the worth of the deal was understated.
According to the lawyer defending Neymar and his family, the alleged offence is not punishable in Brazil because there is no legal backing to that effect.
The lawyer also argued that the Spanish court lacked jurisdiction over the case as they alleged offense was committed in Brazil.
If Neymar and his parents is convicted, they could be sentenced to two years imprisonment. They could also be slammed a fine of £8.7m.
The other defendants could face a prison of up to five years, including a fine of up to €8.4m.
Meanwhile, a court document released in July confirmed that Barcelona started negotiations in 2011 with Neymar.
They reportedly paid him €40m to secure his move after his contract with Dos Santos expired in 2014.
Reacting to the allegations, Neymar’s father Neymar Da Silva Dos Santos maintained that he moved in the direction of his son’s dream by ensuring that a contract is prepared for him with Barcelona
“Our intention was to prepare a career plan for him in Europe, in which we had in place already established, could learn the language, etc. And knowing his dream to play for Barcelona, we signed that priority agreement with them,” he said.
Other defendants are yet to give their evidence. Meanwhile, they had all denied wrongdoing.
Neymar and his parents answered questions from the prosecutor despite having the rights not to testify.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, appeared as a witness through a video link.
He told the court he had offered €45m in 2011 and €36m in 2013 to sign Neymar from Dos Santos, but the PSG star chose Barcelona instead.
Baker McKenzie, the law firm defending Neymar and his parents, have maintained that the transfer of Neymar to Barcelona in 2013 involved a Brazilian in Brazil, as such, the Barcelona court lacked jurisdiction over the case.
They also argue that competition rules relate to products and services and do not apply to the transfer market.
The trial is set to last for one week, but it is unclear whether Neymar will stay in Spain throughout the trial. He was allowed to leave the courtroom after being involved in PSG’s French Ligue 1 game with Olympique Marseille.
PSG will be in action against Ligue 1 side, Ajaccio on Friday, October 21, and Neymar will be expected to feature in the league game amid the ongoing trial.
