Lionel Messi will have to stand trial... they want him locked up for 22 months

A district judge in Barcelona has ordered Lionel Messi and his father Jorge Horacio Messi to face stand trial for crimes against the Spanish tax authorities.

Messi, who will stand trial in the Barcelona district of Vilanova i la Geltru, will appear alongside his father despite the court archiving the case against the footballer because they decided he had no knowledge of the fraud perpetrated by his father.

The state court is asking for a prison sentence of 22 months for Messi.

The judge is sending Messi to court because the state lawyer has maintained his accusation against the Argentine star, as he considers that, contrary to the opinion of the prosecutor, he was indeed a “co author” of the three crimes that his father committed against the tax authority, defrauding it on 4.1 million euros.

Just a few days ago, the Prosecutor of Barcelona decided to archive the case and drop the charges against the Barça forward relating to fiscal fraud concerning the handling of his image rights. That was good news for Messi, who two years ago was accused — alongside his father — of fraud in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

However, as expected, the State Lawyer has maintained its stance on the matter, and Messi will not be able to avoid going to court.