Liverpool's Istanbul Champions League hero Djibril Cisse facing jail term over tax evasion claim

Liverpool icon Djibril Cisse is facing allegations of tax evasion back in his home country, France.

The ex-Reds striker, who famously hoisted the Champions League trophy during his time at Anfield and also bagged an FA Cup , departed for Marseille in 2006 after two memorable seasons on Merseyside.

Post-football, Cisse has been spinning tracks as a DJ, but now he's caught up in legal woes, with prosecutors pushing for a one-year suspended sentence and a hefty fine of $111,543, presented to the court on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Manchester City hearing date for 115 Premier League charges set

READ MORE: Sergio Aguero makes Premier League title prediction and has warning for Liverpool

Absent from the Bastia criminal court proceedings this week, Cisse will have to wait until November 13 for the verdict. The prosecution claims that Cisse dodged taxes by not declaring a debt-ridden account, which was supposedly £465,000 in the red, to the French tax authorities.

On top of that, Cisse is alleged to owe another £195,000 for not disclosing VAT on his image rights income. His lawyer, Malcolm Mouldaia, defended him in court, saying: "He has been going through this case for years."

"He owes huge sums to the tax authorities. There can be no case of money laundering, as there is no tax fraud on his part.

"He has had problems with his accountancy firm, as they have not handled his case well - and they have not kept him informed."

Cisse's last stint was with Panathinaikos Chicago in the States, although he didn't make a single appearance for them. In 2023, he turned up in Gerard Pique's Kings League, a seven-a-side competition, where he represented Los Troncos FC.