Spanish soccer players probed in fixing case

MADRID: Spanish police were carrying out an operation on Tuesday against several footballers, ex-players and club executives accused of fixing matches in the first and second divisions, a source close to the case said.

The source, who refused to be named, said that matches were allegedly fixed in the first and second divisions during this season and the 2017-2018 one.

Among these were several games played by the Real Valladolid, a club majority-owned by former Brazil striker Ronaldo since September. Sources close to the case named several players involved to AFP.

They include Raul Bravo, a former Real Madrid player, Borja Fernandez who played for first division Real Valladolid, Carlos Aranda, a retired player who appeared for a string of Spanish clubs, Samuel Saiz, a Leeds player loaned Getafe this season, and Inigo Lopez Montana, who played for Extremadura and La Coruna in the second division this season.

The president of SD Huesca, another football club that climbed into first division this season before being relegated again, was also targeted. There have been several detentions but it is unclear who exactly was being held as the operation was continuing late morning.

When contacted by AFP, police confirmed an operation was underway but refused to give further details. Those at Huesca who have been detained “are suspected of having taken part in match-fixing when they were in second division,” the source said.