Lionel Messi fails in appeal against 21-month jail sentence

Baku. 24 May. REPORT.AZ/ Lionel Messi has failed in his appeal against a 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud.

Report informs, Barcelona star was sentenced last July but chose to appeal the decision, along with his father Jorge who was given the same punishment.

Jorge today had his sentence reduced to 15 months.

It is unlikely Messi or his father will serve a stretch behind bars, however. Under Spanish law, a prison sentence under two years can be served under probation if you have no prior criminal record.

The court also previously ordered Messi to pay a fine of around €2million (£1.7m) and his father to pay €1.5m. Messi and his father were both found guilty by a court in Barcelona of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities of €4.1million in the period between 2007 and 2009 by not paying tax on image rights earnings.

"FC Barcelona gives all its support to Leo Messi and his father with relation to the sentence for tax evasion handed out by the Provincial Court in Barcelona.