Gerard Pique and Shakira Respond to Sex Tape Blackmail Allegations

A spokesperson for Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has denied allegations that he and his girlfriend Shakira are being blackmailed over a sex tape, according to Stuart Fraser of the MailOnline.

As reported by Fraser, Spanish newspaper Diario Vasco had made claims that the Spain international and his pop star partner were being held to ransom for a “big sum of money” by a previous employee over a clip which was suggested to have contained “erotic content.”

Rob Burnett of the Daily Mirror also wrote that the reports have been denied by a “source close to the star”: “This is a very random report and completely untrue.”

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Pique and Shakira met in 2010 when the former appeared on the latter’s official World Cup song video. They now have two sons together, two-year-old Milan and 11-month-old Sasha.

The report surfaced just weeks after a scandal came to light involving France international midfielder Mathieu Valbuena, in which the Lyon man was said to be the target of a blackmail plot involving a sex tape.

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema was arrested by French police as part of the investigation in Valbuena’s case, per AFP (h/t the Daily Telegraph). As noted by Fraser, the striker’s lawyers claim he had “no part” to play in any attempt to swindle his international team-mate out of money. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to five years.

Pique and Benzema could go up against each other this weekend, as Real Madrid welcome Barcelona to the Santiago Bernabeu for a highly anticipated Clasico showdown.