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Spanish league investigates possible match fix

By 윤민식

Published : May 3, 2013 - 19:12

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The Spanish football league is investigating a game between topflight teams Levante and Deportivo La Coruna for possible match-fixing.

League spokesman Juan Carlos Santamaria confirmed Spanish media reports to The Associated Press on Friday that the league was examining Deportivo's 4-0 win at Levante on April 13.

Following the loss, Levante forward Jose Barkero apparently accused some of his teammates of a lack of effort in the match. He later publicly retracted his accusations.

“I only want to make public what I have told my teammates,” Barkero said in a news conference on Wednesday. “I asked them for forgiveness, above all my four teammates, those who I accused of something erroneous. I ask (Sergio) Ballesteros, (Gustavo) Munua, (Juan Luis) “Juanlu” (Gomez), and Juanfran (Garcia) for forgiveness for what I have done to their image, their persons and their family, because they didn't deserve it.

“I am the one who was wrong. I accused them of something that didn't really happen.”

Levante issued a statement on its website saying it will “help and collaborate with any investigation.”

Deportivo coach Fernandez Vazquez said “our conscience is clean.”

Match-fixing is a crime in Spain and can lead to prison time for individuals or expulsion of a club from official competition.

Deportivo is in a fight to avoid relegation. Stuck in last place in Spain's first division last month, it started a four-game winning streak that ended with the lopsided victory at Levante. Deportivo has since drawn two more games and currently lies one point above the relegation zone with five games left.

Levante, meanwhile, has lost four straight games, its worst run in two seasons under coach Juan Ignacio Martinez. (AP)