Barcelona defender Gerard Pique and his partner Shakira have reportedly denied claims that they are being blackmailed over an alleged sex tape.

Reports in Spain emerged on Wednesday claiming that a former employee is threatening to release a sex tape featuring Pique and his popstar girlfriend Shakira.

It has been claimed that the blackmailer is demanding a "large sum of money", but Pique's spokesperson has told the Daily Mail that the reports are not true.

The news came about not long after Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was charged in connection to an alleged sex-tape blackmail plot against his France teammate Mathieu Valbuena.