Spanish police probe Leeds United forward Samuel Saiz on suspicion of La Liga match-fixing as 11 are arrested - including 'ringleader' ex-Real Madrid star Raul Bravo

  • Spanish police have reportedly arrested members of a criminal betting ring
  • Samuel Saiz, on loan at Getafe from Leeds, is believed to be under investigation
  • Ex-Real Madrid defender Raul Bravo is alleged to have been the ringleader 
  • Valencia's final match away at Real Valladolid this season was the 'final trigger'
  • A Spanish crime reporter said the La Liga match on May 18 was allegedly fixed 
  • However, Nacho Abad was quick to divert any blame away from Valencia  

Leeds forward Samuel Saiz is currently under investigation in Spain over alleged match fixing in La Liga, according to reports.

A spokesman for Spain's National Police has confirmed an operation is 'ongoing' with former Real Madrid player Raul Bravo also said to have been held.

He has been described by El Mundo as the suspected ringleader of a criminal organisation dedicated to gambling-motivated match-fixing of Spanish first and second division games.

Saiz has been on loan at Getafe this season and respected daily newspapers El Mundo and ABC, citing police sources, have also named RC Deportivo de la Coruna player Inigo Lopez and retired footballer Borja Fernandez, who was playing for Real Valladolid when he hung up his boots, as detainees.

Valencia's match away at Valladolid, which they won 2-0 on the final day of the season to finish fourth in La Liga, was the 'final trigger that led to all the arrests that are taking place today,' according to Spanish crime reporter Nacho Abad.

Leeds' Samuel Saiz is reportedly under investigation over alleged match fixing in La Liga

Leeds' Samuel Saiz is reportedly under investigation over alleged match fixing in La Liga

Former Real Madrid star Raul Bravo is one of the players believed to have been arrested

Former Real Madrid star Raul Bravo is one of the players believed to have been arrested

Valencia's away win at Real Valladolid was the 'final trigger that led to all the arrests'

Valencia's away win at Real Valladolid was the 'final trigger that led to all the arrests'

Valencia beat their opponents 2-0 in the final game of the 2018-19 La Liga campaign

Valencia beat their opponents 2-0 in the final game of the 2018-19 La Liga campaign

TWO GAMES UNDER SUSPICION 

Real Valladolid 0-2 Valencia

Valencia won their final game of the La Liga season thanks to goals from Carlos Soler Barragan and Rodrigo. The victory ensured they finished in fourth place to secure Champions League football.

It has been reported by a veteran Spanish crime reporter that this game was the 'final trigger that led to all the arrests that are taking place today.'

Nacho Abad and Valencia were quick to divert any blame away from the club, with the former saying: 'It wasn't a game that was allegedly fixed between clubs. What we're talking about is players and ex-players who allegedly fixed the match to earn money from betting sites.

'Borja Fernandez, an ex-Real Madrid player is an ex-Valladolid player who only left the club a week ago and started the match that day as captain.'

 

Huesca 0-1 Nastic de Tarragona

This second division match last season was just another example that led to the Spanish police beginning their operation on Tuesday.

Home side Huesca, who had already been promoted to La Liga, lost 1-0 to Nastic, who were fighting to stay in the second division.  

Around 30 betting agencies and websites are said to have suspended betting after detecting an alarming rise in bets on a 0-0 draw at half-time and an away team victory at the end of the match.

The Secretary General of Federbet which fights against match-fixing, Francesco Baranco, described the movements as 'mad'.

Abad revealed on Tuesday: 'On the last day of the La Liga season on May 18, a match involving a team which will play Champions League football next season (Valencia) was allegedly fixed.'

Diverting any blame away from Valencia, who on Saturday beat Barcelona to lift the Copa del Rey, Abad added: 'It wasn't a game that was allegedly fixed between clubs. What we're talking about is players and ex-players who allegedly fixed the match to earn money from betting sites.

'Borja Fernandez, an ex-Real Madrid player is an ex-Valladolid player who only left the club a week ago and started the match that day as captain.'

He added: 'Let's suppose the captain has let himself be influenced by bets, it doesn't mean that the whole team would play worse, so we'll have to see if there are more arrests later today and in coming days.'

Valencia firmly moved to distance themselves from match-fixing allegations that have emerged on Tuesday.

Valencia's statement read: 'Following the news that appeared this Tuesday in relation to the presumed implication of players and leaders of other clubs in illegal bets related to alleged matches of parties, Valencia CF, as an entity absolutely unrelated to this matter, wishes to publicly warn that it will undertake the appropriate legal measures, with the consequences that derive from it, against anyone who spreads any rumour or unfounded news that tries to relate our club to the aforementioned topic.'

A second division match last season between Huesca and Nastic de Tarragona was just another example that led to the Spanish police beginning their operation on Tuesday.

Spanish officers are understood to have searched the HQ of Sociedad Deportiva Huesca

Spanish officers are understood to have searched the HQ of Sociedad Deportiva Huesca

Spanish police are deployed outside SD Huesca's headquarters during the raid on Tuesday

Spanish police are deployed outside SD Huesca's headquarters during the raid on Tuesday

The police, here waiting outside Huesca's headquarters, began the operation at 8:30am

The police, here waiting outside Huesca's headquarters, began the operation at 8:30am 

Home side Huesca, who had already been promoted to La Liga, lost 1-0 to Nastic, who were fighting to stay in the second division.

Nigerian Ikechukwu Uche scored the only goal of the game in May last year in the 72nd minute.

Around 30 betting agencies and websites are said to have suspended betting after detecting an alarming rise in bets on a 0-0 draw at half-time and an away team victory at the end of the match.

Francesco Baranco, Secretary General of Federbet which fights against match-fixing, described the movements as 'mad.'

An increased number of bets which aroused suspicion reportedly came from Ukraine and Asia.

The Spanish Football Federation is believed to have flagged up its suspicions of possible match-fixing before Tuesday's police operation with Spanish state prosecutors.

Although several Spanish papers reported Saiz had been arrested, radio station COPE said it had confirmed he was under investigation but had not been formally arrested. 

El Mundo and ABC, citing police sources, have also named Borja Fernandez as a detainee

El Mundo and ABC, citing police sources, have also named Borja Fernandez as a detainee

Deportivo de la Coruna player Inigo Lopez has also been reported as a detainee

Deportivo de la Coruna player Inigo Lopez has also been reported as a detainee

The radio station published on its website: 'Several media have said Samuel Saiz, currently playing at Getafe, had also been arrested.

'But COPE journalist Gemma Santos has been able to confirm the player has not been arrested.'

Gemma Santos tweeted: 'That's correct. Our reporting team have had it confirmed that Samu Saiz is not under arrest.'

The police operation began at 8.30am and police officers are understood to have searched the HQ of Sociedad Deportiva Huesca, who have just been relegated from La Liga. 

The club's president Agustin Lasaosa has reportedly been arrested. As well as match-fixing, police are expected to accuse at least some of the detainees of money laundering.

Spanish state broadcaster TVE said 11 arrests had taken place so far.

A spokesman for Spain's National Police said: 'I can confirm a police operation against match-fixing is ongoing.

'I cannot confirm any of the names of the detainees that are circulating in the Spanish press at this moment in time.

'That is because the operation is still ongoing.'    

Huesca's president Agustin Lasaosa has reportedly been arrested as part of the scandal

Huesca's president Agustin Lasaosa has reportedly been arrested as part of the scandal

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Spanish police probe Leeds' Samuel Saiz on suspicion of La Liga match-fixing as 11 are arrested

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