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Liga president fears Messi could leave Spain following tax fraud verdict

Reuters

The prospect of Lionel Messi leaving Spain is a legitimate concern for La Liga president Javier Tebas.

Following the guilty verdict given to the Barcelona star and his father for defrauding the country of €4.1 million, Tebas revealed his fears over Messi's future in Spain, adding that the league disagrees with Wednesday's sentence.

"Of course I fear that (Messi) could leave, but the only thing I can tell him is that from La Liga we believe he isn't guilty and we are happy to have him here," he said, as translated by ESPNFC.

Related: Lionel Messi receives 21-month jail term for tax fraud; unlikely to serve time

Although the verdict called for a 21-month prison sentence, Messi and his father, Jorge, will not serve any jail time as sentences under two years in Spain are suspended for first-time offenders.

"They were three verdicts of seven months each, not one of 21," Tebas said. "They were not that severe. We are talking about process that wasn't properly followed. I don't think Messi is a criminal. He fell victim to a faulty fiscal structure which will be changed."

While there's been no indication from Messi that a move away from the Camp Nou is on the horizon, Barcelona fans may take comfort in Messi's previous vows of loyalty when he insisted he would not play for another European team. However, he has admitted he would like to finish his career in Argentina.

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