Brazilian football player Neymar testified in the trial in which he was tried on charges of irregularity and corruption in the transfer from Brazil’s Santos Club to Spain’s Barcelona Club in 2013.
In the lawsuit filed by DIS Group, which bought 40 percent of Neymar’s transfer rights in 2009 and claimed that he did not receive the real amount corresponding to the player’s transfer to Barcelona, Neymar, his father Neymar da Silva Santos and his mother Nadine Golcalves and former Barcelona club presidents. Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu are on trial, as are former Santos executives Odilio Rodrigues.
Neymar, who was sitting in his seat thinking it was the second day of the trial in Barcelona, said in his statement, “I had the option of going to Real Madrid, but my heart took me to Barcelona. My father completely directed the transfer process and negotiations. I just signed what he told me.”
Real Madrid Club President Florentino Perez, who attended the court by video conference as a witness, said, “We were interested in Neymar about 10 years ago, but I know this from the Real Madrid sporting director. I have never entered into any negotiations. The players go wherever they want and Neymar wanted to go to Barcelona. ‘ he said.