Girlfriend of Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas accused of 'playing down' his wealth

Former Arsenal star embroiled in bitter legal row over £7 million London home

Cesc Fabregas of Spain kisses his girlfriend Daniella Semaan (Getty Images)

The girlfriend of Barcelona footballer Cesc Fabregas has been accused of playing down his wealth as she fights her ex-husband over their £7 million marital home.

The former Arsenal footballer’s girlfriend and mother of his children, Daniella Semaan, 38, is involved in a bitter legal dispute with her property tycoon ex-husband, Elie Taktouk.

Ms Semaan, who gave birth to Fàbregas’s first child two weeks ago, told judges that that she received little financial support from Fabregas.

Her evidence led Mr Justice Coleridge to rule that Mr Taktouk, whose has owns properties in Kensington and Chelsea, must sell the London flat, worth £7m, and provide Ms Semaan with £1.4 million to buy a new home.

A company, controlled by Mr Fàbregas, later made a £5.4 million bid to buy the flat.

Mr Taktouk, 38, now alleges that the move was part of a plot to allow Ms Semaan to keep the flat while making a profit of almost £1.5 million.

According to The Times, Stephen Lyon, a barrister acting on behalf of Mr Taktouk, argued that the previous judge would have ruled differently in the case had he known about the former Arsenal footballer's property plans.

“We say it is rather extraordinary that, less than three weeks after judgment was handed down, through his company in Barcelona he was offering to purchase [the flat],” he said.

The barrister also argued that both Fàbregas's wealth and how much he spent on his girlfriend were played down in the initial hearing.

However, yesterday the appeals court judge dismissed Mr Taktouk’s application, saying: “No doubt [Mr Fabregas] will support the child, but [his] long-term support for the wife is not something which could be counted on.”

An application by Mr Taktouk to block sale of the flat will be heard by a judge within weeks.