Legal battle over transfer is affecting me: Neymar

Barcelona star Neymar and president Josep Maria Bartomeu will be called to give evidence this week in the murky case over the deal which brought the Brazilian to the Catalan giants from Santos in 2013.

Neymar and his parents have been called to give evidence on Tuesday.

“I’m only concentrating on what I have to do”, Neymar was quoted as saying by Brazilian television Globo TV on Monday.

“But I’m someone God has given the power to be focused on what I like to do, which is to play football”. He handles the books.

“When you see people you love being attacked, suffering and being accused of things which aren’t true, like my family, it hurts”.

“My father only wants me to commit to playing and to focus on the ball”.

Although the transfer fee widely reported for Neymar was €83m, the deal was done in such a way that the official fee was shown as only €17 million with the majority of the extra money being described as various personal payments to Neymar and his family.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has praised Barcelona forward Neymar Junior amidst transfer rumours suggesting that Madrid are ready to raid their bitter rivals for the Brazilian’s signature.

The scandal over the concealed transfer fee led to Rosell’s resignation as president in January 2014 with then vice-president Bartomeu taking charge.

A Brazilian court has also taken action freezing $47 million in assets belonging to Neymar over tax evasion allegations between 2011 and 2013.

On Thursday Neymar lost his appeal against a fine imposed by tax authorities in 2012 for irregularities in his income tax declaration. “The trial is an investigation to know what happened in Neymar’s transfer”, Neymar’s father told Globo.

“We’re going to clarify this issue in a definitive way”.

The controversy surrounding the deal hasn’t affected Neymar’s performances on the field as he helped Barca to a treble of Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey last season.

Neymar’s Argentine teammates Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano have also been in trouble with the Spanish authorities over tax issues.