Messi appears at Barcelona court in his tax fraud trial

Barcelona, June 2 (IANS) Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi arrived on Thursday at a court here, where he faces three charges of tax fraud.

The FC Barcelona star, who was accompanied by his father Jorge and brother, arrived by car driven by an employee from the Catalan club amid great media interest, reports Efe.

The Argentine forward and his father Jorge are appearing before the court where the Spanish prosecution demands a sentence of 22 months in prison over charges of evading the payment of 4.1 million euros ($4.57 million), as taxes on profits made from the player's image rights between 2007 and 2009.

Initially the prosecution filed the lawsuit against Messi and his father, but then requested the case to be closed after Jorge paid the swindled amount, as well as interest.

Messi and his father are appearing before the court for the first time on Thursday since the trial began on Tuesday.