Juventus Stars Cristiano Ronaldo has requested to be allowed to enter into the court room through the car park for his safety ahead of his alleged tax fraud case in Spain on Tuesday. The former Real Madrid striker is expected in Madrid to attend to a trial for tax evasion where Spanish prosecutors are asking for a 23-month prison sentence and fine.
The 33-year-old Portuguese striker, who left Real Madrid last July, is expected to plead guilty after he agreed a settlement worth 18.8million euros (£16.9million) with tax authorities last summer.
He is however unlikely to serve any time in prison as Spanish law states a sentence of less than two years for a first offence can be served on probation.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo reports that Ronaldo sent a formal request to the court to be allowed to avoid the normal walk into the court building ‘to guarantee his safety’. It is not clear yet whether the written request has been granted or not
Prosecutors initially alleged Ronaldo had defrauded 14.7 million euros (£12.95 million) but confirmed on Friday they were accusing him of defrauding just over 5.7 million euros (£5.3million).
Ronaldo’s trial is due to start at 10am on Tuesday at Madrid’s Audiencia Provincial court.
Spanish daily ABC reported on Friday that Ronaldo will try to get his suspended prison sentence swapped for an extra fine of 350,000 euros (£308,000) when he appears in court on Tuesday.
Interestingly the tax fraud trial of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso will also start in Madrid the same day Ronaldo appears in court.
The 37-year-old is expected to plead not guilty to an alleged 2,032,845 euro (£1.8 million) tax fraud over the years 2010 to 2012 when he was at Real Madrid.State prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence.
His trial will take place at the same court building Ronaldo has been summoned to on the same day, although in a different courtroom.
