Barcelona's Lionel Messi accused of cheating taxman

Spanish financial crime prosecutors have filed a complaint accusing Barcelona superstar Leo Messi of tax fraud worth four million euros ($5 million), a judicial source said Wednesday.

The complaint, which also includes the player's father Horacio Messi according to the Spanish press, "has been presented to the court," the source said on condition of anonymity.

But it was not yet clear if the court would accept the complaint and allow the accusation to proceed, the source stressed.

Barcelona FC were not immediately available to comment.

Meanwhile, Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi denied Wednesday stunning allegations that he and his father engaged in tax fraud worth more than four million euros ($5 million), expressing shock at the accusations.

The 25-year-old Argentina international and four-time World Player of the year said he had just learned through the media of the allegations filed by the Spanish tax authorities.

"We are surprised about this news, because we have never committed any infringement," he said in an English-language statement released on his Facebook account.

"We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations, following the advice of our tax consultants who will take care of clarifying this situation," he said.