GERARD PIQUE is under investigation over claims he could receive up to £34million from Saudi Arabia, according to reports in Spain.
His company is alleged to have received a payment of £3.4m-a-year to help broker the deal that now sees the Spanish Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia rather than Spain.
The first time the cup was played over in Saudi in its current format was in 2019 and it has remained that way since.
Judge Delia Rodrigo has been investigating the case in the Spanish courts and has now named Pique as one of the individuals under investigation, according to El Pais.
The paper says there is evidence that the RFEF received £34million from the Saudi government to bring the cup to Saudi Arabia, and that Pique's company, Kosmos, was paid £3.4m as part of the deal.
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After the agreement was struck in 2019, it was extended by another four years.
That deal has the potential to extend to ten, which would see the RFEF receive £340m in total and Pique receive £34m.
The deal is alleged to not have gone through a due and fair process.
The investigation that has named Pique is part of a wider one investigating the Spanish football federation's decision to move the cup without proper consultation.
Among those named is former president Luis Rubiales, who was embroiled in scandal last summer when he 'kissed' Spanish striker Jenni Hermoso after the Spanish women's team won the World Cup.
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Current president of the Spanish FA Pedro Rocha is at the centre of the corruption investigation led by Judge Rodrigo, which Pique has been named in.
Rocha was vice-president of the economic area of the Spanish FA at the time of the deal to take the cup to Saudi.
It was his duty to convene the economic commission to discuss the deal as part of fair and due process.
He is alleged to have failed to do so, however, leaving the deal to pass without opposition.
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Pique retired in November 2022, while playing for Barcelona.
He has since gone on to focus on his business career adjacent to football.
His company, Kosmos, which is now embroiled in the Saudi Super Cup scandal, helped launch a 7-a-side football tournament called the King's League.
The tournament sees famous Twitch streamers manage teams, and have access to former legends such as Sergio Aguero and Ronaldinho as part of their player rosters.
He also recently went public with new girlfriend Clara Chia having split with long-term partner Shakira in 2022.
