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BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona has drawn widespread criticism for its campaign to support Lionel Messi after a court found the Argentine forward and his father guilty of tax fraud.Barcelona launched its social media campaign following last weeks court verdict that found Messi and his father guilty of defrauding the Spanish state of 4.1 million euros ($4.6 million). Neither man is expected to go to jail despite being sentenced to 21 months in prison because courts in Spain often suspend sentences under two years for first-time offenders.The slogan We Are All Leo Messi is a play on the public awareness campaign by Spains tax authorities We Are All The Tax Office. That is meant to encourage people to pay their due in a country still struggling to recover from an economic recession that has left unemployment at more than 20 percent.The campaign invites all of Barcelonas fans to show the best player in the world their unconditional support, Barcelona said. We want to transmit to Leo that he isnt alone.The club also posted a video of several dozen of its employees gathered together with hands raised in a show of support for Messi.Widely panned in Spanish newspapers and online, Barcelonas campaign has earned a rebuke from Spains government.I am not Leo Messi. I havent committed a fiscal crime, acting Justice Minister Rafael Catala said Thursday.The president of Spains Higher Sports Council, the countrys leading sports authority, has also blasted the league champions for their rally call.If the campaign intends to make a complaint of some type against the judicial ruling, then it is completely incorrect, council president Miguel Cardenal said. We have to respect and honor the (courts) decision. You cant have campaigns of this type in order to disagree with a court ruling.A workers union that represents Spanish tax inspectors has asked Barcelona to end the campaign, calling it irresponsible.The best thing for the club and the player would have been to accept the ruling and move on, said Carlos Cruzado, the president of the union Gestha. But this campaign . is destroying the educational work that must be carried out to make citizens conscientious (of their fiscal responsibilities.)Messi and his father deny any wrongdoing and have said they will appeal the verdict to a higher court in Madrid.While his club has launched its campaign to back him, photos of Messi spending his vacation on a yacht have appeared this week in Spanish newspapers. Those photos of Messi soaking up the sun in a bathing suit have spawned several jokes on social media about how he must be suffering.The spokesman for Barcelonas board of directors, Josep Vives, has defended both Messi and the clubs campaign.In similar cases, we havent seen attacks like those Leo Messi is receiving, Vives said. Its obvious that we cant tolerate this derision of our player.We have found ourselves in a controversy because it appears that FC Barcelona is defending tax fraud. What we are defending is a person that is being treated unjustly.Besides his club, the Spanish leagues president has also said he believes Messi is innocent.I hope that the Supreme Court revokes the ruling because Messi is not a delinquent and shouldnt be found guilty, league president Javier Tebas said. I have interpreted the campaign as meaning that Messi shouldnt worry, and so he knows that his club is with him.Messi is not the only player to have gotten into trouble over taxes.Also this year, Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherno was handed a suspended one-year sentence for tax fraud; teammate Adriano is being investigated for allegedly not paying all he owes; and former Real Madrid player Xabi Alonso has been accused of tax fraud. Alonso and Adriano deny any wrongdoing.In June, Barcelona paid a fine of 5.5 million euros ($6.21 million) to settle a case brought against the club by Spains tax authorities regarding the signing of Brazil striker Neymar. In that agreement, the club acknowledged it had made an error in the fiscal planning of the players transfer.Detroit Tigers Gear . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Cheap Tigers Jerseys . 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Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen.Kevin Durant and the Los Angeles Clippers met for approximately four hours Friday night in the Hamptons, and sources close to the situation say Durant was blown away by the Clippers presentation.Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, president Doc Rivers, executive vice president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan were present at the meeting.According to a source, Durant was incredibly impressed by the vision and direction of the Clippers and made a strong connection with those at the meeting.Chris Paul did not make it to the meeting but spoke to Durant beforehand and made his pitch over the phone; the two have talked throughout the process, including last week, sources told ESPN.Durant met with the Spurs on Saturday morning and that presentation lasted under two hours, sources told ESPNs Marc Stein. Durant is meeting with the Boston Celtics later on Saturday and the Miami Heat on Sunday, according to sources.Durant previously sat down with the incumbent Thunder on Thursday in Oklahoma City, with league sources saying that meeting went well and OKC was in a strong position to retain Durants servicees.ddddddddddddA firm decision on where the four-time scoring champion will play next season, sources previously told ESPN, is expected sooner rather than later after he meets with all five teams that secured invitations to the Hamptons for weekend sit-downs.Durant met with the Golden State Warriors earlier Friday, sources said, a pitch that was scheduled to include Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, coach Steve Kerr, general manager Bob Myers and owner Joe Lacob.Multiple sources, including friends and business associates of Durants, previously told The Undefeateds Marc Spears that, barring an unbelievable pitch from one of the teams trying to woo Durant, those close to him expect Durant to return to the Thunder next season.His decision is 90 percent made, a longtime friend told Spears.Said another colleague: Its going to take some sweet-talking to get him to pass up all the money he can get by staying in OKC.ESPNs Arash Markazi, Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein contributed to this report. 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