Story By: Alex Cope, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News and Sport

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has been fined 1,000,000 EUR by the Spanish Tax Authorities.

The tax office have found that Ramos used a company in his name called Sermos 32, S.L., based in Spain, which he would have his commercial earnings paid into in order to pay less in taxes in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo report that the defender has paid the fine, which is made up of the amount defrauded, the sanction and interest, up front.

However, the Spanish international has reportedly launched an appeal arguing that he had followed the criteria of taxation which the Spanish Tax Agency had set out in a previous inspection he underwent.

The Tax Agency found that he was paying 25 percent tax on his commercial earnings by paying them through the company as opposed to the 45 percent he would have paid as an individual.

El Mundo report he is confident the 1,000,000-EUR (864,080-GBP) fine will be cancelled and his money returned.

The fine comes after the previous inspection gave him a small fine, the amount is not mentioned, for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 for not having charged the correct amount from the company Sermos 32, S.L., for attending commercial events o recording adverts.

Ramos has released a statement which says: “In the face of the recently published information, I would like to stress: “I declared all of my earnings in Spain.”

The statement added that he has a “team of professional advisers” who “analyse, manage and resolve” all of his financial matters.

He added that he was “aware” of all of his obligations with the Tax Agency and said it was an “administrative fine, not a criminal offence”.

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