Barca President Says Real Madrid behind Neymar Tax Case

Hours after being named a suspect in a tax fraud case regarding the signing of Brazil star Neymar, Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu said the club was the victim of an "attack" involving fierce rival Real Madrid and the Spanish state.

Bartomeu said "all this comes from someone who did not want him to come to Barca. Neymar's father said that he had a better offer from Madrid, and that did not go down too well."

He added, "there are certain powers of (the) state that are not happy that Neymar came to Barca" because of Barcelona's links with the regional independence movement in Catalonia.

On Tuesday, National Court judge Pablo said he would investigate whether Bartomeu defrauded Spain's Tax Office of 2.8 million euros ($3.2 million) in 2014.