Supreme Court upholds 21-month sentence for Lionel Messi

Spain’s Supreme Court has upheld a 21-month suspended prison sentence for Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

The ruling was arrived at after his appeal over three counts of tax fraud.

Messi and his father Jorge, were both convicted in 2016 of defrauding Spain of some $4.6m in taxes.

Officials say Jorge has seen his sentence reduced from 21 to 15 months for his cooperation in returning some of the defrauded money.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT: The Club expresses its support for Leo #Messi and his family: https://t.co/diZYgETW7Z pic.twitter.com/0B8s9d3fZr

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 24, 2017

Both won’t serve any jail time because under Spanish law, a tax prison sentence of less than two years can be served under probation.

Messi has consistently denied any wrong doing.

The case will now be heard in the Barcelona court that handed down the original judgement in the coming weeks.