NBA | Page 6 CCRICKETRICKET | Page 9 Nowitzki Buttler and reaches Morgan help two-year deal Eng win lone with Mavs T20 game Thursday, July 7, 2016 FOOTBALL Shawwal 2, 1437 AH United players begin GULF TIMES life under Mourinho with much to prove SPORT Page 4 FOCUS Taxing times for Messi Ten days after Argentine misses out on Copa title and quits internationals, Spanish court sentences Barca star to 21 months in jail for tax fraud; likely to avoid prison time AFP earned from his image rights from and “knew nothing” about how his here, it’s fraud and that’s all there is to struggles to bring Spain’s public defi cit His verdict comes just six months after a Barcelona 2007-09. wealth was managed. it, because he didn’t want to pay his down. Spanish court handed Barcelona’s Argen- The income related to Messi’s im- Prosecutors had asked for Messi to taxes,” he said. tine midfi elder Javier Mascherano a one- age rights that was allegedly hid- be absolved, arguing there was no evi- “It’s like a crime boss. At the very top BARCA STANDS BY PLAYER year suspended sentence for tax fraud. court in Spain yesterday sen- den includes endorsement deals with dence that the player was aware of how is the bigwig who doesn’t want to know The player and his father made a volun- He was found guilty of avoiding pay- tenced Barcelona striker Li- Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Procter & his income was managed. about the details.” tary payment of 5.0mn euros — equal to ing taxes on 1.5mn euros of income re- onel Messi and his father to 21 Gamble and the Kuwait Food Company. The court agreed, arguing in its rul- the amount of the alleged unpaid taxes lated to his image rights. months in jail for tax fraud, in The court found Messi and his father, Barcelona court found Messi ing that Messi “had decided to remain plus interest — in August 2013 after be- Barcelona in June agreed to pay a Athe latest case of tax avoidance involv- who has managed his son’s aff airs since in ignorance”. ing formally investigated. 5.5-million-euro fi ne in a deal with and his father Jorge guilty of ing a top footballer in the country. he was a child, guilty tax fraud and using companies in Belize, “Despite all the opportunities avail- After the court delivered its verdict, prosecutors that sees the club avoid tri- But these prison sentences are likely ruled that for each of those three years Britain, Switzerland and able to the player to show interest in Barcelona issued a statement “giving all al on tax evasion charges over its sign- to be suspended as is common in Spain they should serve a sentence of seven Uruguay to avoid paying taxes how his rights were managed, he did its support to Leo Messi and his father”. ing of Brazilian striker Neymar from for fi rst off ences for non-violent crimes months. on 4.16mn euros of Messi’s not,” the court added. “The club, in agreement with the Santos in 2013. carrying a sentence of less than two Messi, 29, a fi ve-time world player of income earned from his image The court said if the player was not government prosecution service, con- Last week Spanish authorities dis- years. the year, was also fi ned 2.09mn euros rights from 2007-09 punished, “ordinary” citizens could siders that the player, who has correct- closed that Brazilian international de- The Barcelona court found the Ar- while his father was fi ned 1.6mn euros. conclude that it was better to “not ed his position with the Spanish tax of- fender Dani Alves owes 1.3mn euros in gentina international and his father They can appeal the decision to But the state attorney representing show interest” in their tax obligations. fi ce, is in no way criminally responsible overdue taxes and late payment fi nes. Jorge Horacio Messi guilty of using Spain’s Supreme Court. tax authorities in the trial, Mario Maza, Messi’s tax fraud trial has taken place with regards to the facts underlined in Alves left Barcelona in June after eight companies in Belize, Britain, Switzer- Messi told the court during the four- said he found it unlikely that Messi against a backdrop of simmering voter this case,” it added. seasons to join Italian side Juventus. land and Uruguay to avoid paying taxes day trial that wrapped up on June 4 that knew nothing about the situation. anger over steep cuts to health and Messi is Barcelona’s all-time leading on 4.16mn euros of Messi’s income he trusted his father with his fi nances “There is no deliberate ignorance social spending, as the government goalscorer. More stories on Page 5 > Gulf Times 2 Thursday, July 7, 2016 EURO 2016 GERMANY VS FRANCE 10PM France thirst for revenge against wounded Germany ‘We know that France are loaded with good individual players, but they are under pressure as hosts’ Match guide Venue: Stade Velodrome, Marseille Euro 2016 capacity: 67,000 FORM GUIDE (LATEST FIRST) Germany: WWWDW France: WWDWW HEAD-TO-HEAD Germany Draw France 9 6 12 SUSPENSIONS AND INJURIES GERMANY Suspended: Mats Hummels Injuries: Mario Gomez (hamstring), Sami Khedira (hamstring) SUMMARY Fifth finals meeting for neighbours; France yet to win a significant encounter Bayern, Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United club-mates on opposite sides France unbeaten in nine, Ger- many in six COACHES SPEAK Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger, who returned to training yesterday, speaks to teammate during a training session in Evian-les-Bains, France, yesterday. (AFP) AFP quality players.” Marseille For France, defender Adil Rami and midfi elder N’Golo Kante are back in contention after missing the win over idier Deschamps’ talented Iceland through suspension. France block the path of The French camp is full of praise for Germany’s spluttering jug- the world champions, but the message gernaut in today’s Euro 2016 is clear. “I have maintained right from the Dsemi-fi nal and the world champions “We’d like to write another chapter beginning of the tournament that have mounting personnel problems. in French football history,” said Giroud they are one of the top favourites With an element of revenge in the while French sports daily L’Equipe ran for me. It’s not only their starting air, France can expect near-fanatical the front-page headline ‘Thirsty for XI, they have depth as well, with support from home fans in Marseille Revenge’ on Tuesday. players like [Kingsley] Coman and as they seek a place in Sunday’s Paris [Anthony] Martial on the bench.” fi nal. MEMORIES OF SEVILLE — Joachim Loew, Germany coach The hosts are buoyed by a 5-2 quar- Just as it was for the Germans against ter-fi nal thumping of plucky minnows Italy, the semi-fi nal is a fi xture steeped Iceland when Olivier Giroud, Antoine in history. Griezmann and Dimitri Payet all net- Les Bleus lost to Germany in the ted at the Stade de France. 2014 World Cup quarter-fi nals at Rio Germany are also confi dent mood, de Janeiro’s Maracana, thanks to Hum- despite missing key players with in- mels’ fi rst-half header. jury and suspension after their pen- And France has never fully forgiven alty shoot-out win over Italy in the last Germany for their penalty shoot-out eight. defeat in a bitterly contested World France are unbeaten in their last nine Cup semi-fi nal in Spain in 1982. games, while Germany have not lost in An epic 3-3 draw, with four goals their last six. scored in extra-time, came down to “For us, there is no fear. We know a penalty shoot-out which Germany that France are loaded with good indi- France’s players take part in a training session in Marseille yesterday. (AFP) won 5-4, but the match in Seville is re- vidual players, but they are under pres- membered for a brutal incident. sure as hosts,” said Germany forward up a yellow card which sees him sus- ner Mario Goetze is set to start up Liverpool’s Emre Can or Julian Weigl of France’s Patrick Battiston was “No-one can change history, but Thomas Mueller. pended in Marseille. front, but Loew said he may play his Borussia Dortmund set to partner Toni knocked unconscious, with two teeth there are new chapters to be writ- “Iceland didn’t look so happy with Striker Mario Gomez and midfi eld- Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Kroos in the defensive midfi eld. missing and three cracked ribs, after ten. This page is blank and it’s up the goals they conceded. er Sami Khedira picked up thigh and Mueller alongside him in attack. France striker Giroud has scored a collision with Germany goalkeeper to the players to fill it. What’s im- “They have our respect, but I am op- groin injuries respectively which rule Gomez’s thigh tear means he will also against Manuel Neuer in each of the last Harald Schumacher. portant is what happens tomorrow. timistic that we will fi nd solutions (to them out of the semi-fi nal. miss the fi nal, should Germany progress. three games for France and Arsenal, a However, the German camp has been The players must have belief in the injury problems). For us there is no Captain Bastian Schweinsteiger re- With Hummels suspended, Shko- threat the Germans must counter. eager to play down the historical signifi - themselves and we need the crowd loss of quality.” turned to training yesterday boosting his dran Mustafi or Benedikt Hoewedes “He is a very dangerous poacher in- cance to focus on the here and now.