Sports

The FC Barcelona player denies having evaded taxes. “We have not committed an offence” and “we have always honoured our fiscal obligations” stated Lionel Messi in a note published on his Facebook account. On Wednesday, the Public Prosecution Office accused the Argentinean football player and his father Jorge Horacio Messi of not having paid €4 million to the Spanish Tax Agency in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Prosecution Office believes they hid “important revenue” deriving from image rights and “simulated” signing over the image rights to societies based in fiscal havens such as Belize or Uruguay or with addresses in countries particularly permissive with such societies such as the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

56,500 Barça fans came to the Camp Nou to welcome Neymar to FC Barcelona. "Barça are more than a club and a great team and I want to help Leo Messi to continue to be the greatest player in the world," he said. Neymar da Silva Junior signed his contract with FC Barcelona on Monday afternoon. He will be a Barça player through the 2017/18 season. The signing ceremony took place at thye club’s offices in the Catalan capital. The player, Barça President Sandro Rosell, Vice President Josep Maria Bartomeu and the Football Director Andoni Zubizarreta were all in attendance.

Barça put four past Malaga in the last game of the season and hit the 100 point mark. The Catalans were three up after a quarter of an hour thanks to goals from Villa, Cesc and Montoya. Iniesta got the fourth in the second half before Morales got a consolation goal for Malaga. Abidal came on to a standing ovation on 75 minutes for his final minutes as a Barça player.

A great performance from Barça, with goals from Alexis and Pedro won the derby at Espanyol’s Cornellà-El Prat Stadium. The Champions just keep on winning! Barça reached 97 points on Sunday evening after a clear 0-2 win over city neighbours Espanyol and with one game to go that 100-point margin is still in sight.

Neymar, who announced the news on Twitter and Instagram, will play for Barça for the next five seasons. The player is known for his exquisite technical skills which makes this free-scoring striker a nightmare for any defence. His style is beautiful to watch and he has received recognition and praise from the legendary Pelé himself, of whom many believe he is the modern successor.

FC Barcelona has reached an agreement with the Brazilian player to extend the contract linking the two parties for four additional seasons. The player's buyout clause is set at 90 million euros. Adriano has become known as one of the most versatile players on FC Barcelona’s roster. He’s performed well in the centre back position, as well as the right and left full back positions and as an attacking midfielder.

The rain that fell on the Catalan capital did not tarnish the first X-Games held in Barcelona, although it did cause a headache for the organisers, who had to juggle with competition schedules and even cancel the RallyCross and Moto X Freestyle competitions. 114,600 people attended the event in total, crowding out the venues in which the different competitions were held.

For the first time in its history, FC Barcelona will be wearing an away kit based on the red and yellow Catalan flag – the ‘senyera’. FC Barcelona and Nike presented Barça’s new first team’s kit on Tuesday morning, which include the traditional blue and claret stripes in a modern design which sees the stripes peter off on the sleeves. Furthermore shorts will be blue for the main outfit and red for the away kit.

A goal from Pedro and an own goal by Marc Valiente gave Barça the win that takes them to 94 points. Nothing can stop Barça in the Spanish League this season. Tito Vilanova’s men chalked up another win at the Camp Nou on Sunday night, seeing off Valladolid in what proved to be quite a tricky game.

The Catalan capital is ready to celebrate the first X-Games on European soil. The event, which is being held from May 16th to the 19th, is expected to host 120,000 spectators that will generate an income of 40 million euros for the city of Barcelona. Among international stars like stunt performer Travis Pastrana, the BMX rider Kevin Robinson or the skater Paul Rodríguez, toplevel Catalan stars like rally competitor Nani Roma or the Moto X riders Laia Sanz and Edgar Torronteres will also be present.

FC Barcelona celebrated their 22nd Spanish League title on Monday evening with a parade through the city centre. Together with Barça’s women team, who also won the league title, the players and coaching staff saluted more than a half million fans from open top buses through the claret and blue lined streets.

Tests carried out on Tuesday morning have revealed that the FC Barcelona player has a strained hamstring in his right leg. The Argentinean limped off in the second half at the Calderon on Sunday after noting a twinge in the area he had previously been injured in. Messi’s participation in future games will depend on his recovery process.

Barcelona hockey team RC Polo has won the third final play-off match 4-1 against Madrid-based Club de Campo this Sunday and has become Spanish league champion. In a hard fought final, RC Polo won the first match 3-5 in Madrid while Club de Campo came back by beating RC Polo in the second game 3-6 on Saturday.

Barça celebrated their latest league title with a well earned win at the Vicente Callderon, where the league’s third placed team and finalist in next week’s Cup final received the Champions with a guard of honour. After a pretty placid first half, Atletico went ahead, FC Barcelona switched to a three man defence and–reduced to 10 men by an injury to Messi – went for the jugular, scoring twice and showing all the pride and bravery that has helped to make them the league champions once again.

Barça have won their 22nd Spanish League title, their fourth in the last five years. Without counting the times FC Barcelona have won consecutive league titles, this is the first time that the Blaugrana have managed to win again the League after losing it the year prior. With four matches left on the schedule this year, Vilanova’s men claimed La Liga with 88 points (28 victories, 4 draws and 2 defeats).