Judge Jose Perals also called for a five-year sentence for former Barca president Sandro Rosell and a fine of $8.9 million for the club, but called for charges against current president Josep Maria Bartomeu to be dropped.
The case stems from a complaint by a Brazilian investment group, DIS, which owned 40% of Brazil forward Neymar’s transfer rights and which alleges it received less money than it was entitled to as Barca concealed the real transfer fee.
Altamiro Bezerra, CEO of Neymar’s company, told Reuters they were “very relaxed” because there was “nothing new”.
“...it (the case) had been filed away, and now the Public Ministry has to present new reasons to show why it is asking for it to be reopened, and present evidence, and then ask for a sentence, this isn’t a new case,” he told Reuters.
“The whole process has still to happen, the Public Ministry presents its arguments for reopening the case, the judge can reopen it and will still have to hear the prosecution and the defence, the process is going to drag on.”
Barcelona have been engulfed in legal troubles over Neymar’s transfer since 2013.
Rosell resigned as the club’s president in 2014 for his role in the affair and testified in court in February alongside Bartomeu, Neymar and Neymar’s father.
