Javier Mascherano has been sentenced to a year in prison for tax fraud.
Spanish newspaper El MundIt reported that the Barcelona player was sentenced after a court hearing on Thursday. He has also been fined €815,000 (£625,000) for two tax offences.
It is unlikely the Argentina international will serve any jail time. It was claimed that the prosecution are in favour of Mascherano being handed a fine instead after the defender’s lawyer requested the prison sentence be suspended.
Spanish law dictates that those handed sentences of less than two years are not required to serve their sentence, unless the crime is a violent one.
