Barcelona star Gerard Pique and girlfriend Shakira deny claims they have been blackmailed over sex tape by former employee

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Gerard Pique has been forced to deny reports that he and girlfriend Shakira are being blackmailed over a home-made sex video. 

Diario Vasco claims that the Barcelona defender - who is believed to earn £130,000 a week - and his pop star partner have been threatened by a former employee with the publishing of a video containing 'erotic content' if they do not part with a 'big sum of money'.

But Pique's spokesperson denied to Sportsmail on Wednesday morning that the report was true.

Shakira (left) and Gerard Pique pictured together at the recent Catalonian Football Federation awards. The pair have denied claims in Spanish media that they were blackmailed over a sex tape

Pique and Shakira pose for a photo together along with the Copa del Rey trophy earlier this year

Pique gets into a minibus at Madrid Barajas airport after Spain's friendly match with Belgium was postponed

This comes just two weeks after Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was formally charged in connection with an alleged sex tape blackmail plot against French team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.

Benzema was arrested by judicial police in Versailles, west of Paris, in connection with the case, although his lawyers insist he played 'no part' in the attempt to extort money from his fellow France international.

Benzema faces a prison sentence of at least five years if found guilty of complicity in the alleged blackmail - with investigators trying to determine the extent to which Benzema was aware of the intimate video featuring Valbuena, which found its way into the hands of blackmailers. 

Shakira and Pique took to Instagram to show themselves enjoying a concert by U2 last month

Pique (left) puts in a sliding tackle on England's Raheem Sterling during last week's friendly in Alicante

Shakira, aged 38, and 28-year-old Spain international Pique met when the singer was promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, Waka Waka - Time for Africa. 

The couple have two sons, two-year-old Milan and 11-month-old Sasha.

Pique started his senior career with Manchester United after leaving Spain, where he played for the Barcelona youth teams, at the age of 17 in 2004.

He spent four years at Old Trafford - although one season included a loan spell at Zaragoza - making 23 appearances before returning to Barcelona in a £5m deal in 2008.

Pique has experienced much success at Barcelona, including five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies. He has also made 72 appearances for Spain, winning the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012. 

Shakira has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide since her career began in 1990 and her net worth is estimated to be around £144m.