Barcelona football star Lionel Messi will appeal against a Spanish court decision to sentence him to 21 months in jail for tax fraud, the player’s lawyers say.

Argentine Messi, aged 29, was sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined €2m euros (£1.7m; $2.2m).

Messi's father, Jorge, was handed the same sentence with a €1.5m fine for defrauding Spain of €4.1m in 2007-09.

However, neither man is expected to serve time in jail.

Under the Spanish legal system, prison terms of under two years can be served under probation.

The pair also face millions of euros in fines for using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights. (bbc.co.uk)

•Photo shows Lionel Messi.