Pina denies match-fixing allegation

Former Granada President Quique Pina has strongly denied allegations he tried to bribe Las Palmas. ‘I swear on my four children…’

It’s been alleged by a Jose Guerrero Fernandez that Pina sent €600,000 to a Las Palmas representative after their late season fixture, won 3-2 by Granada in a comeback from 2-0 down, and AS spoke to Pina, who insists he doesn’t even know Fernandez.

“I’ve never spoken to him. The guy showed up at the stadium and said he wanted to see me very badly. I was with the financial director and I didn’t go to meet him. They said they smelled alcohol and he was saying ‘tell the President to give me €600,000 and I’ll go to Las Palmas.’ Crazy. I asked them to call the police and we contacted the Guardia Civil of Granada, but didn’t make a report,” Pina said.

“Why not? Because I knew he just wanted to make noise. We saw he was unbalanced and didn’t give him that much importance. Then, when he insisted, we called club security to see what he wanted.

“He’s never known me. I don’t know who he is. If you asked if he was tall or short, fair-skinned or dark, I couldn’t tell you. This guy won’t go to jail even though he has sullied my name and that of Granada. That’s not acceptable. I wouldn’t have even made a complaint but my lawyers advised me to defend myself.

“There is no evidence! How could I give money to someone I don’t know? I’ll never buy a game. Again, I’ve never spoken to him in my life. I swear on my four children. Let the worst happen if I’m lying and I know this guy. He asked for money for denouncing me and inventing facts.

“Javier Tebas told me La Liga is required to investigate. That’s fine. That’s what I want. An investigation to show there is nothing and no right to so tarnish the name of football. You will see there is no evidence.

“This crazy can’t even give the name of the Las Palmas director he gave the money to. He can’t because there isn’t one. It’s all invented. It makes me feel sick. I’d like to focus on formalising the sale of Granada on Thursday, and on Friday I’ll leave the club. But I can’t with all of this. I haven’t slept. We have to be aware of these crazy people who just want to make money.”

Tags Quique Pina
La Liga - Club News