West Brom players look set to avoid legal action after taxi was stolen

Jonny Evans, Jake Livermore, Boaz Myhill and Gareth Barry have 1,236 Premier League appearances between them

Four West Brom players who were accused of stealing a taxi in Barcelona look set to avoid legal action because of a lack of evidence.

Gareth Barry, Jonny Evans, Jake Livermore and Boaz Myhill were questioned but not arrested by police, who passed the case to a local judge.

The case has been provisionally dismissed, but it could be reopened if new evidence comes to light.

West Brom have launched their own investigation into Thursday's incident.

Barry, Evans, Livermore and Myhill apologised on Friday for "breaking the club's curfew" and for "the events which have been the subject of widespread and negative publicity".

Mossos d'Esquadra - Catalonia's regional police force - previously told BBC Sport the four wanted to go out in Barcelona, but found everything closed so took a taxi to a 24-hour fast-food restaurant.

When they left, at approximately 05:30, it was alleged they took the taxi and drove back to their hotel without the driver.

Police were called by the hotel and the taxi driver, who was reunited with his vehicle at about 08:00.

The local judge had been asked to consider whether there was enough evidence to bring charges of "theft and vehicle theft".

West Brom, bottom of the Premier League and seven points from safety, had been in Spain for a training camp.

Speaking after Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round - a match Barry and Evans both started - manager Alan Pardew said he was "furious" with the four players.