Gerard Pique, Former Barcelona Star, Ordered to Appear in Court for 40 Million Euro-Corruption Probe

Barcelona and Spain legend Gerard Pique is set to make a court appearance on March 14 as part of a corruption investigation related to the Spanish Super Cup's relocation to Saudi Arabia. According to a legal document obtained by AFP, the scandal has cast a shadow over Spanish football and implicated former federation chief Luis Rubiales, who was in charge at the time of the controversial decision. Pique, who was placed under investigation in May last year, is being scrutinized for his involvement in brokering the lucrative contracts to move the Super Cup to the oil-rich Gulf nation from 2020. These deals, valued at 40 million euros per year, were facilitated by Kosmos, a company owned by Pique, while he was still an active player for Barcelona.

The court said there were "possible illegalities with criminal implications", including a clause to "guarantee the payment of a commission of four million euros per year to Kosmos".

A document dated Thursday from a court in Majadahonda outside Madrid said "the declaration of Mr Gerard Pique as an investigated party is agreed on March 14".

Rubiales, who faces possible jail time for his forced kiss on star forward Jenni Hermoso in 2023, has always defended the legality of the deal to take the Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.

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Pique has also insisted that everything was "legal", saying he was "proud" of the deal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)