Spanish judge asked to open tax case into Xabi Alonso

MADRID (AP) — A Spanish state prosecutor on Friday asked a judge to open an investigation into alleged tax evasion by former Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso.

Prosecutor Jose Javier Polo told The Associated Press he asked a judge to investigate Alonso after his office found "evidence" pointing to Alonso having defrauded Spain's tax office of 3 million euros ($3.3 million) from 2009-11.

It will now be a judge's decision to open a case or not.

Alonso joined Real Madrid from Liverpool in 2009 and played for the team until moving to Bayern Munich in 2014.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

Alonso posted a statement on his Facebook page on Friday saying he "has always complied and will continue to comply with each and every of his fiscal obligations."

In January, Javier Mascherano, a Barcelona midfielder and Alonso's former teammate at Liverpool, was convicted of not properly paying taxes.