French star Cisse to pay Greece taxes

The former Panathinaikos player owes more than 300,000 euros ($330,000) in taxes and surcharges from when he played for the club between 2009 to 2011, the website reported.

Cisse, the former French international who plays for JS Saint-Pierroise, arrived in Greece Tuesday with his wife and four-month-old child for a working vacation during which he will DJ in Athens and the island of Mykonos.

According to sport24.gr, Cisse was under the impression that Panathinaikos had taken care of his tax obligations, but the club said no such clause was in his contract.

By accepting to pay his debt in instalments, Cisse will be granted a 30 percent reduction in the penalties and surcharges.

The website said Cisse, who turns 34 next month, will pay the tax office every month for the next eight years.

Cisse would not have had to pay the penalties and surcharges if he had paid the whole sum in one go, according to legislation adopted by the leftist Greek government this year to help the country face its debt problems.

Cisse earned 41 caps with the French national side from 2002-2011 and scored nine goals.

On a club level, besides his current team and Panathinaikos, he has played for Bastia, Kuban Krasnodar, Al-Gharafa, Queens Park Rangers, Lazio, Sunderland, Marseille, Liverpool and Auxerre.