Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard face fines in Italy

Former Dutch internationals Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard face a fine from an Italian court for tax evasion during their time with AC Milan in the early 1990s.

The lawyer for the three players, Fabio Belloni, said on Thursday that after a process of plea-bargaining the trio accepted a prison sentence of three months which would be converted into a fine of around 1,500 euros ($1,465).

The court acquitted Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and six other officials from the club and its owners, the Fininvest holding company of the family of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, of the charge of false book-keeping.

Other players from the Milan club will face a hearing on September 27.

Gullit, Van Basten and Rijkaard were key players in the Milan side that won the European Cup in 1989 against Steaua Bucharest, and went on to become one of the great teams in European soccer.

None of the trio are currently based in Italy.