New Match Fix Allegation Rocks Spanish Football

redout

Another Italian job ?

04/12/2008 10:47
New Match Fix Allegation Rocks Spanish Football

Fresh allegations of match-fixing have been made by Levante's former captain Iñaki Descarga, who claims his side lost at Athletic in order to keep the Basque Country side from going down two seasons ago.








Levante players helped fix the match against Athletic Bilbao on the last day of the 2006-07 campaign that saw the Basque Country team win and stay up and send Celta Vigo down, according to the club's former captain, Iñaki Descarga.

The revelation comes only days after Jesuli caused a stir by stating that he had been paid for Tenerife to lose against Málaga last term, even though he did not play in the encounter.

Descarga is alleged to have told Levante president Julio Romero about the incident in a conversation that Popular TV picked up on and have now released to add to the scandal.

Celta Vigo will be stunned by the news, because they needed Levante to take something from the game in San Mamés in order to stay up, but instead Athletic's 2-0 win meant they were relegated.

In the conversation between Descarga and Romero, the player said: "Now the whole team wants a bonus, which would mean putting it in a safe box. If you saw the game you could not tell that it was fixed.

"I should really have told the whole squad, but if I had then it would have been done."

Jesuli revealed earlier this week that he had been paid around €6,000 to help Tenerife lose, but Descarga did not reveal how much or who paid him.

The scandal has caused uproar with Málaga, Tenerife and Real Sociedad all infuriated by the claims and this latest chapter is sure to bring a swift response from Levante and Athletic.

Wow. I didn't see that coming. I wonder if Celta Vigo will receive the same screwjob Sheffield United got.....

eZe^

It's a sad day when Athletic Bilbao need to cheat to stay in the Liga.

noodler

Ah the Premiership.

Say what you want about it, but it ain't fixed!

eZe^

noodler wrote: »

Ah the Premiership.

Say what you want about it, but it ain't fixed!

GTFO :P

redout

Jesus the whole bloody team was in on it ! Well they can hardly be demoted as they got relegated themselves last season. Maybe the next one down again. Not surprised they took a bribe as they were in financial difficulties themselves last season.

redout

Spanish FA are now saying they are starting an investigation into the matter. Only took them 12hrs !

Two games under spotlight

Spanish FA look into two fixtures over match fixing allegations

By Richard Bailey Last updated: 4th December 2008


Bilbao: Under investigation

The Spanish football federation has declared that two Spanish league fixtures over the previous two seasons will be investigated for match-fixing.

The matches involved were Athletic Bilbao's clash with Levante at the end of the 2006/07 season and the last game of the second division campaign last season between Malaga and Tenerife.

Bilbao needed a win to avoid their first ever relegation from the Primera Liga and defeated Levante 2-0 sending Celta Vigo down in the process.

Malaga needed a win to secure promotion to the top flight at the expense of Real Sociedad and they duly beat Tenerife 2-1.

"Anyone who has to investigate should do so and if they find out anything punishable then they should go ahead." Federation spokesman Jorge Carretero told Radio Marca.

"I don't like any of this and that is why it should be dealt with as soon as possible. Spanish football is enjoying marvellous health. We should not get embittered." Carretero added.

Conspiracy
On Wednesday TV channel Popular TV released a recording of an alleged conversation between Levante president Julio Romero and midfielder Inaki Descarga.

In the alleged discussion the pair are said to have spoken about a payment some of the team had received in order to throw the game against Bilbao.

"As a consequence of this, I wish to make it known that I have put this matter in the hands of my lawyers with the aim that they take the right legal action." Romero responded.

The federation's Competition Committee agreed on Tuesday to send information about the Malaga versus Tenerife match to Spain's State Prosecutor following a report in El Mundo newspaper.

The paper published a transcript of another alleged conversation between Sociedad president Inaki Badiola and former Tenerife player Jesuli Mora.

Jesuli, who did feature in the match in question, said he had been paid to throw the game in Malaga's favour.

Jesuli now intends to sue Badiola for recording their conversation.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11827_4589430,00.html