Barca say CAS 'dismiss' Neymar appeal by Santos

Barca say CAS ‘dismiss’ Neymar appeal by Santos

By : AFP

Date: 7 July 2020 7:06pm WAT

Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar arrives for a training session at the PSG's "Camp des Loges" training grounds in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, west of Paris, on July 2, 2020. - Paris Saint-Germain announced on July 1 they will play a friendly against second-tier Le Havre in front of up to 5000 fans to prepare for the Champions League last eight tournament and two domestic cup finals. PSG returned to training last month ahead of a French Cup final against Saint-Etienne on July 24, a League Cup decider with Lyon a week later and the European competition in Lisbon beginning on August 12. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Barcelona says they have been cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over claims of fraud during the 2013 signing of Neymar from Brazilian club Santos.

In the case that came before the CAS Santos claimed Barcelona owed them over 61 million euros ($69 million) from the 2013 transfer.

“The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed the appeal made by Santos to FIFA in which the Brazilian club claimed payment of 61,295,000 euros in damages from FC Barcelona and the corresponding sporting bans with regards to the transfer of Neymar Jr.”

The CAS also ordered Santos to pay Barcelona’s court costs and cleared the Catalan club of making any illegal payments.

“The CAS considers that the contract between Santos and the player was ended by mutual agreement and that FC Barcelona did not behave in a fraudulent manner when it signed a pre-contract with Neymar Jr, nor when it signed a transfer agreement with Santos.”

Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a world record transfer fee of 222 million euros