Panama Papers leak: Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to sue Spanish newspaper for tax evasion claims

New Delhi: As per the media reports, Barcelona star Lionel Messi is planning to sue a Spanish newspaper for defamation after the footballer was linked to tax evasion projects in the Panama Papers leak.

The captain of the Argentina national team was accused by El Confidencial of 'setting up a tax fraud network'.

On Sunday, along with disgraced FIFA officials and suspended UEFA chief Michel Platini, Messi's name was also in the list found in leaked documents, which reveal offshore financial dealings.

In fact, the most high-profile of all is Argentina skipper Messi.

Messi and his father Jorge are already due to stand trial in May charged with tax fraud for allegedly failing to declare 4.16 million euros ($4.69 million) in taxes related to his image rights between 2007 and 2009 through front companies in Belize and Uruguay.

The pair are accused of ceding the player`s image rights to the companies in order to avoid declaring money made from lucrative deals with sponsors in Spain.