Former Liverpool star Javier Mascherano has been charged with tax fraud in Spain

Javier Mascherano is in a spot of bother with the Spanish tax offices.

The Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano has been charged with two counts of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities of a whopping total of more than €1.5m, so the BBC reports.

Allegedly, Macherano sought to hide earnings from his image rights by using companies set up in the United States and Portugal. He is accused of defrauding the authorities of €587,822.01 in 2011 and €968,907.76  in 2012. A judge must rule on whether the Mascherano case should go to trial. The Argentine made no immediate public comment on the charges and has this month paid the money owed plus almost €200,000 interest, the public prosecutor's office said. This could work in his favour if he is found guilty.