Allocation of cars to players and charter flights
The situation centers on alleged irregularities involving FC Barcelona, linked to a tax authority file opened against the club for potential non-compliance. Reports indicate that the Treasury assessed penalties reaching up to €15.7 million after an investigation spanning several years. The core issues reportedly involve the provision of Audi cars to players, the treatment of charter flight expenses, and questions about the proper declaration and settlement of related payments. The matter has been described by various outlets as part of a broader review of player remuneration and benefits (citation: Goal).
Compensation for the departure of Arda and Song
According to the Treasury’s procedures, a detailed table shows that certain termination payments did not involve withholding in the way that some settlements would normally require. Names mentioned in relation to the case include Arda Turan and Alex Song, along with other club personnel connected to past transactions. Media reports have pointed to discrepancies in how personal income tax, corporate income tax, and value added tax were handled across different years, as part of the ongoing inquiry (citation: Goal).
The investigation reportedly began in 2019 but traces back to activities from 2015. In matters related to cars and charter flights, inspectors examined whether these components were properly declared as part of players’ remuneration or handled separately as corporate expenses (citation: Goal).
Barcelona corrects El Confidencial’s information
FC Barcelona issued a formal statement aimed at clarifying and correcting the information published by El Confidencial. The club contends that parts of the article do not reflect the Treasury’s position and that the scope of the inspection and its conclusions were misrepresented (citation: Goal).
The full text of the statement
Barça states that the content in today’s publication dated May 11, 2023 does not accurately reflect the club’s situation. The organization emphasizes that the active inspection covered years 2015/2016 through 2017/2018 and concluded in July 2021, with none of the alleged irregularities being endorsed by the Treasury as presented in the article (citation: Goal).
According to the club, the specific issues cited by the confidential article are not validated by the Treasury. The referenced sentences, which were challenged before the Central Economic Administrative Court, involve different tax considerations, notably the treatment of payments to players’ agents rather than the matters initially described (citation: Goal).
In relation to these arguments, Barça notes that in April 2023 the Central Economic Administrative Court upheld the club’s appeals and annulled sanctions tied to personal income tax and non-individual income tax. The penalty linked to value added tax is also anticipated to be lifted as it concerns the tax treatment of agent payments to players (citation: Goal).
The club further states its intention to seek rectification of the published information (citation: Goal).
Source: Goal