Spanish media reports that Argentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud.

The court in Barcelona found the Argentine player and his father, who handles his financial affairs, guilty of three offences.

His father, Jorge Messi, was also given a jail term for defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.5m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009.

The pair were accused of using tax havens in Uruguay and Belize to hide earnings from image rights – with the footballer telling his trial he knew nothing of how his money was managed but had signed documents without reading them.

However, they are likely to avoid jail.

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