Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas said that there is "considerable evidence" against Levante’s players that might take them to trial for match-fixing, according to FOOTBALL ESPAÑA. The LFP has forwarded on information gathered on the La Liga Levante-Deportivo game from mid-April to the Anti-Corruption Office to investigate signs of match-fixing, "with the accusation against unnamed players from Levante." Tebas said, "I will not go into details because that would hurt the investigation. That game, since before it was played, was under investigation. I’m convinced that this time I will be able to prove it. There is considerable evidence that we hope will result in a trial. The biggest hint is that a player himself has accused his peers and repeatedly so, that’s very important. The value of a trial would be to consider others. That [Javier] Barkero later retracted his accusation does not mean anything.” Tebas "revealed that he has had several discussions" with Levante President Quico Catalan. Tebas: "About what? It’s a very sensitive issue. It is not only me that wants to end this [match-fixing], as many clubs are suffering, trying to make the best of things and ending up in trouble at the end of the season unfairly. Depor? No one has accused them of anything. I am speaking not only of fraud but also on the subject of betting. It needs to be realized that in any case of corruption the details will not be published with a megaphone. The only thing that has been released has been the accusation against the players from the same team” (FOOTBALL ESPAÑA, 5/6).
ARTILES OFFENDED: FOOTBALL ESPAÑA also reported Deportivo defender Aythami Artiles "has reflected on the irritation" that Deportivo feels in seeing its 4-0 win at Levante under investigation for having been fixed. Artiles said, "Nobody likes to be accused of something that they have not done. It has taken much effort from us to get out of the relegation zone, for us to be accused of buying games. The problem is with Levante, if there is one, and for them to settle. For once, we won a game against a big team and by a comfortable score, it will be investigated. It bothers us because we are a pretty decent team. If they try and look at our games or have suspicions, they must also look at what will happen from here on out. We do not feel ourselves as implicated” (FOOTBALL ESPAÑA, 5/6).
