Barcelona footballer Javier Mascherano was on Thursday handed a one-year jail sentence for not paying taxes properly in Spain. The Argentine, who has played for Barcelona since 2010, was accused by Spain’s tax office of concealing part of what he earned in image rights. However, The Guardian reported that the Barcelona defender is unlikely to serve any time in jail. The prison sentence is expected to be replaced by another fine or dismissed entirely, according to the report.

Mascherano was also fined nearly €800,000 (Rs 5.8 crore) and has been prevented from receiving any tax benefits for a year. The sentencing came nearly three months after he had reached a deal with prosecutors and the attorney’s office for failing to pay nearly €1.5 million in taxes for 2011 and 2012.

Following Thursday’s ruling, Mascherano released a statement via his Twitter account and the Barcelona website in which he said, “I’m a sporting professional, I don’t have a great understanding of tax and legal matters. Therefore, to deal with what are for me technical and complicated matters, I have to rely on other people... I reserve the possibility of action against those who have badly advised me by recommending something that was not right.”