Cristiano Ronaldo to Pay €28m or Risk Jail Sentence After Tax Authorities Reject Settlement Offer

​​Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will be forced to either pay the Spanish tax authorities a total of €28m, or take his fraud case to trial, after the player's settlement offer was rejected.

A guilty verdict at a trial could see Ronaldo do prison time, with ​AS citing how prosecutors in sought a jail term of eight years for his former teammate Xabi Alonso.

The Ballon d'Or winner spoke last week about how he was treated last summer when initially accused of his tax fraud involving his image rights. ​In one instance, armed police boarded his boat whilst holidaying last summer.

However, according to AS, armed police could be the least of Ronaldo's worries soon, after having been told to cough up a cool €28m fine or to take his trial to court - which, if it fails, could see him go to prison for a number of years.

The Portuguese star had offered to pay back the initial €14m and accept his guilt in the case in exchange for a prison sentence of two years. Spanish law allows first time offenders sentenced for only two years or less to avoid any actual jail time.

This was denied and instead Ronaldo will have to stump up €28m - paying back the initial amount plus interest, as well as a fine added on top.

According to the report, Real Madrid will also refuse to help their star player out. The club do not want to seem unethical, nor to look as though they give preferential treatment - and Ronaldo reportedly feels ostracised.

This is believed to be the reason behind his comments following the Champions League final, and the 33-year-old is said to be unhappy in the Spanish capital.