By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – Spanish football has been rocked by yet another case of match-fixing, this time involving a crucial relegation battle last season between Espanyol and Osasuna.
Both have denied any wrongdoing over the 1-1 draw in the penultimate game of the season, a result alleged to have been agreed beforehand. Pamplona-based club Osasuna were relegated while Espanyol just survived the drop.
“We want to make it absolutely clear that RCD Espanyol of Barcelona has had no part in any match-fixing or any irregularity,” the club’s vice-president Rafael Entrena said on their website. “We defend the purity and the sporting nature of the competition, now and always.
“RCD Espanyol will collaborate actively and resolutely, both with the public prosecutor and all the sporting authorities, to take the investigation of these facts to its conclusion.
“And if the investigation shows that someone committed any irregularity they will have to face the consequences.”
Osasuna’s new president Luis Sabalza, told a press conference that his club “had no benefit because the team was relegated” though he stressed he was not in charge at the time of the allegations.
Spanish reports claim that accountants commissioned by the Sports Ministry and the National Sports Council to study the books unearthed huge withdrawals that remain unexplained.
The latest case follows the ongoing high-profile investigation into a key fixture between Real Zaragoza and Levante on the last day of the 2010-11 season.
Some 40 defendants – including widely-travelled coach Javier Aguirre, Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera and Atletico Madrid captain Gabi – were named in a case filed by Spanish prosecutors who allege Zaragoza made bank transfers to its own players and officials who then withdrew the money and passed it on to Levante’s players as payment to throw the match. Mexican Aguirre, who vehemently denies any wrongdoing, recently lost his job as Japan’s national coach as a result of the claims.
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