Arda Turan: Barcelona Midfielder Given Prison Sentence of 2 Years 8 Months After Nightclub Incident

Arda Turan has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, but will not serve any time after the court deferred the verdict.

The Barcelona midfielder was charged with multiple crimes, including firing a gun to cause fear and panic, illegal possession of weapons and intentional injury.

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While having been initiallysentenced by the court to spend time in jail, the 32-year-old will now avoid such a ruling after the verdict was deferred meaning he will be spared from prison time as long as he doesn't commit any crimes in the next five years, as revealed by the Mirror.

What started the trial was an incident at an Istanbul nightclub late last years, in which Turan was a involved in a fight with Turkish singer Berkay Sahin - an altercation centered around Sahin's wife - leaving the artist with a broken nose.

Following the brawl, Turan then followed the musician to the hospital he was being treated at, and subsequently fired a gun which at the ground, causing panic. Footage from CCTV cameras clearly showed the former La Liga player leaving the hospital, which aided the case against the Turk, resulting in his eventual charge.

Currently on loan at Super Lig club İstanbul Başakşehir from Barcelona, Turan's temporary employers said they had fined the player over £350k for the incident.

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Turan joined the Blaugrana from Atletico Madrid for £30m in 2015, during which time he won four trophies while making 55 appearances and scoring 15 goals for the Spanish giants.

On the pitch, Turan has also encountered trouble of his own making, as in May 2018 he was sent off in a league match for pushing an assistant referee. He has handed a 10-match ban from the Turkish Federation's disciplinary board, the longest punishment ever issued to a player in the country.