PSG forward, Neymar has been ordered by a Barcelona court to pay his former club Barcelona €6.7m (£6m) after losing his court case over an unpaid signing bonus.
The 28-year-old, who left Barca to join Paris Saint-Germain for a world-record £198m (€222m) fee in 2017, claims he was owed an unpaid loyalty bonus relating to a contract extension he signed with the club in October 2016.
Following his departure to PSG, who activated his buyout clause, Neymar claimed he and his father, who represents him, were owed €43.6m (£39m) and sued Barcelona.
Barcelona in turn sued Neymar over an alleged breach of contract.
But the court ruled in the La Liga club’s favour on Friday, ordering Neymar to pay €6.7m (£6m) to Barca, while dismissing his claim.
“FC Barcelona expressed its satisfaction with the verdict announced today by Social Court 15 in Barcelona in relation to the lawsuit involving FC Barcelona and the player Neymar Jr. regarding the amount of the signing bonus in the final renewal of the player’s contract,” a Barcelona statement read.
“The ruling has fully dismissed the player’s claim for payment of 43.6 million euros, and has accepted a large part of the defence presented by FC Barcelona, as a result of which the player must return 6.7 million euros to the club.
“Since the player’s representative is entitled to appeal this decision, the club shall continue to fervently defend its legitimate interests.”
Despite their long-running legal dispute, the Catalan club tried to sign Neymar last year and the player even stopped training with PSG in order to try and force through the move, prompting angry protests from the French side’s supporters.
The move eventually broke down, with PSG’s sporting director Leonardo claiming Barca failed to meet their asking price for the forward, who formed a world-beating attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez between 2014 and 2017.
