LFP vice president claims there is match fixing in La Liga

[Irish_Cules]

“There is match-fixing in La Liga” – LFP vice-president


The Vice-President of the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP), Javier Tebas, has said that he believes there is match-fixing in Spain’s La Liga – something similar to the Scommessopoli controversy that has rocked Italian football last year.

Although he insists some games in the Spanish League have been fixed, he also admits he does not have any evidence to back his claims up.

“Games are being sold in La Liga and the cheaters must be exposed,” Tebas told Onda Cero in an interview.

“Unfortunately, I cannot prove it, but games are being fixed in Spain. I cannot rule out a similar scandal to the ones in Italy.”

Regarding the low turnout in stadiums, Tebas bloamed the country’s financial crisis for the low attendance figures.

“The low attendances do not have anything to do with the schedule,” he said.

“It’s the logical result of the economic crisis. And numbers have dropped by only 3.5 per cent.”

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What does everybody make of this? Maybe he isn't right but its still pretty worrying news, especially given the fragile state of La Liga at the moment.

 

[veryfatchocobo]

I say good for La Liga in the long run.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

puts himself in an awkward position bringing this to the media without any hard evidence. those are serious accusations.

 

[FCBarca]

Strange admission but not surprising considering how much money is involved in the sport coupled with all the debt ridden clubs. And if clubs are openly paying 'bonuses' for results, it's a short walk from there to tanking it as well

 

[Theconomist]

This happens in all leagues.
Don't know why you guys are surprised.

 

[Raed]

I love how the ESPN website has a picture of Camp Nou. At this point, seeing how Barca wins and plays, I hope you are relegated.

 

[Galning]

It's so obvious the games are fixed. Why do you think we drew Madrid 2-2? Florentino's dollars.

 

[Flavia]

I love how the ESPN website has a picture of Camp Nou. At this point, seeing how Barca wins and plays, I hope you are relegated.

He's probably talking about all the ref help rm got last season, though

 

[Barcaman]

This happens in all leagues.
Don't know why you guys are surprised.

Yep. If it happened in Bundesliga then...

 

[XaviMessiGirl]

Read a few days ago (can't remember where) that Zaragoza is one of the clubs being investigated, apparently how they avoided relegation is "suspicious".

 

[Garrus]

They avoided relegation because of their crappy grass that had flowers in it

 

[Deco 20]

The final matchday last season was a bit weird, although chaotic so difficult to organize

 

[XaviMessiGirl]

Putting this here because I can't find the general thread about match fixing, guess it got deleted.

Levante have been accused of throwing their game against Deportivo last month (they lost 4-0). It will be investigated, Levante of course are saying they're innocent.

 

[PaulFCB]

I think they should investigate rma's 2011-12 season cause in so many cases, it was so clear how they kissed their butts to help them win the title and not see Barca take 40 consecutive Spanish crowns.

 

[XaviMessiGirl]

Players, managers and presidents in the First and Second Divisions admit, in recorded statements, the fixing of match results. This is the first part:

"I went to play against Levante and the coach, in the pre-match team talk, told us: 'We're going to play, to jump, to compete and to score. If we score a goal, they will equalise, and if they score a goal against us, we will equalise. If, in the 85th minute, the scores are level, we give up and that's it'. We both needed a draw. We finished 0-0. In the talk, he told us not to fake it the whole way through the match. It was laughable", a First Division player told MARCA.

"I've even doubted about whether or not to put a player in the line up, thinking he had been bought. You don't trust half the squad. But if you take them out and put young players in, they end up accusing you of not wanting to win," is how a coach, in this instance, explains it.

"This season in Rayo, there was contact with a player before the game against Mallorca, but the footballer immediately spoke up and his coach closed down the situation. What happened is that Rayo covered it up. I wouldn't cover it up", a president of a top Spanish football club said. "League matches have been fixed this season", says another top flight president.


Seems so far then that Zaragoza, Levante, Rayo & Mallorca are Primera clubs that have been or are being investigated. Hopefully the right actions are taken.