<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">A month before the World Cup begins in Qatar, Brazilian superstar Neymar goes on trial in Spain over alleged irregularities in his transfer to Barcelona nearly a decade ago.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The trial opens in Barcelona on Monday following a years-long legal saga over his 2013 transfer from the Brazilian club Santos, with the 30-year-old star in the dock as well as his parents, whose company manages his affairs.</div><div><br></div><div>All three are facing charges of business corruption.</div><div><br></div><div>Investigators began probing the transaction after a 2015 complaint filed by DIS, a Brazilian company that owned 40 percent of the player's sporting rights when he was at Santos.</div><div><br></div><div>Barcelona said the transfer cost 57.1 million euros, but prosecutors believe it cost at least 83 million euros.</div><div><br></div><div>The club said it paid 40 million euros to N&amp;N, a company owned by the Neymar family, and 17.1 million to Santos, of which 6.8 million was given to DIS.</div><div><br></div><div>But DIS alleges that Neymar, Barcelona and the Brazilian club colluded to mask the true cost of the deal.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of nine defendants are on trial on corruption-related charges, among them two former Barca presidents, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, and ex-Santos boss Odilio Rodrigues Filho.</div><div><br></div><div>Rosell and Barcelona FC are facing charges of fraud and corruption, while Filho and Santos are accused of fraud.</div><div>If convicted, the Paris Saint-Germain forward could face two years in jail and a 10-million-euro ($9.7 million) fine.</div><div><br></div><div>The trial is to run until October 31, barely three weeks before the World Cup begins on November 20, with Neymar due to lead Brazil into their Group G opener against Serbia four days later.</div><div><br></div><div>- 'Complicity to defraud' -</div><div><br></div><div>Neymar is expected in court when the trial opens, although his presence has not been officially confirmed, and will testify on either October 21 or October 28.</div><div><br></div><div>On day two, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will take the stand to explain how a 2011 secret pre-contract deal between Barca and Neymar influenced the market.</div><div><br></div><div>Alongside the prosecution's case, DIS -- a sports investment firm owned by Brazilian supermarket chain Sonda -- has filed its own suit, alleging collusion to defraud it out of its real share of the deal.</div><div><br></div><div>It is seeking to recover 35 million euros. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>