Messi’s tax troubles haven’t marred his appeal to Barcelona fans. Eduardo Amador, who attended the Valencia game clutching a scarlet-and-blue scarf with Messi’s name on it, said he sympathizes with the star.
“I’ve got a personal tax adviser and I trust him,” Amador, a 39-year-old floor-layer, said. “I’m sure Messi is the same.”
Daniel Gonzalez, though, is disillusioned. Outside the stadium, the 54-year-old father of three -- and, like Messi, an Argentine -- is selling water, candy and sunflower seeds at a makeshift stall. Gonzalez makes 60 euros on match days and earns extra money parking cars, he said. He pays 180 euros a month in taxes.
“Messi is a cheat,” said Gonzalez. “It’s his fault as well as his father and tax adviser. He’s not stupid; he knows how much he earns. He’s my compatriot, but he’s a cheat.”