‘Depor relegated by match fixing’

Augusto Cesar Lendoiro has alleged that match fixing in Spain has been going on for years and is the reason his club were relegated in 2010-11.

Depor dropped out of La Liga on the final day of that season after losing 2-0 at home to Valencia, whilst others around them picked up results needed to survive.

For their President, it was an example of how ‘many games’ in the Spanish top flight have been fixed in recent years.

“That there has been [match fixing] I am sure. But I am not talking about this year, but fundamentally the year we were relegated,” Lendoiro told Desayunos Deportivos de Europa Press today.

“I am sure, sure, sure that we went down because there were agreements between other teams to accomplish certain results. Everyone knows it.

Depor have seen Week 31 opponents Levante called into question for the manner of the Galicians’ 4-0 win at their ground in mid-April.

“The Levante game? We have nothing to do with the matter. I do not know if there are others that may have been involved.

“There may be many teams that are as sporting as Deportivo, but none that are as sporting.

“It was an extraordinary feeling when in those minutes we had scored three great goals. Anyone who has seen the game cannot think otherwise about Deportivo.

“If there has been other factors involved or not, as Javier Tebas said with betting issues, I do not know.

“Tebas will take more action on the issue, for sure. And the AFE are also in support. Everyone who believes in honesty in football are convinced that it is essential to know what has been happening in  recent years.

“Almost all the late season games were rigged one way or another. It cannot be otherwise, because truly striking results appeared. That is why, in the moment of truth, we have seen other teams have to go down when there has been no reason for them to.”

Lendoiro continued, assessing that he had many examples of fixed games.

“We have many examples, but as Javier Tebas said, the legal reality is one thing and the reality in which we live is another. We all know what happened during all these years, some games in the coming weeks can be brought into question.

“Retrospective of what has happened in previous years, you can make a curious little record. What really hurts is that we have not had anything to do with this and yet we appear involved.”

Tags Debt Deportivo Lendoiro LFP Match-fixing Tax
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