La Liga clubs Getafe, Villarreal deny match-fixing reports

Bengaluru, May 16: Spanish League clubs Getafe and Villarreal have denied media reports that link them to alleged match-fixing in a 2-2 draw between the two clubs in La Liga last year.

The two clubs of Spanish League's top tier issued statements supporting their players and denying any involvement in the possible attempt to fix a match as reported by Spanish radio COPE.

COPE reported it had access to police investigation files that included transcript of a conversation between two former players talking about arranging pay-offs to some Villarreal players to lose the final match of last season.

The transcript is part of a larger investigation into an alleged match-fixing ring in Spanish football.

Getafe finished two points behind Valencia in fifth place, missing out on a UEFA Champions League berth. Villarreal finished in the middle of the table.

El Pais daily had reported that the match was being looked at as part of Operation Oikos, which was launched last year and led to 11 people being arrested on suspicion of forming a match-fixing group to profit from betting on games.

Getafe released a statement saying the club "wish to categorically deny any involvement with this matter and this type of conduct".

The club specifically defended its captain Jorge Molina, whom the two former players on the transcript appear to mention.

📢 COMUNICADO OFICIAL | Sobre nuestro capitán @Jorge9Molina

👉 https://t.co/QgbMx95cIB pic.twitter.com/lpIitQxFbs

— Getafe C.F. (@GetafeCF) May 15, 2020

Meanwhile, Villarreal also released a statement ruling out the match-fixing allegations.

"Villarreal and its first team wish to show their absolute rejection of the accusations made and categorically deny being involved in any way in fixing the game against Getafe on the final day of last season," said a club statement.

Official announcement: #Villarreal CF and its first team categorically reject the allegations made in recent hours.https://t.co/DIQ7FXs5Cc

— Villarreal CF English (@Eng_Villarreal) May 15, 2020

"As it has done on repeated occasions, the club condemns any conduct that damages the essence of sport and competition and stresses that the values of transparency, ethics, integrity and fair play are fundamental to its philosophy," the statement added.

Spanish League has been in the news for wrong reasons recently. Five former Osasuna directors and two former Real Betis players were given jail sentences last month following an investigation into match-fixing in 2013 and 2014, the first-ever convictions for sporting corruption in Spanish football.

La Liga confirmed it had opened a confidential dossier as part of Operation Oikos but added that details of the case would not be made public until it goes to trial.

(With inputs from Agencies)