Manchester United star Ander Herrera is set to be put on trial over an alleged match fixing scandal.
The
28-year-old Spaniard has been warned he faces being ordered into the
witness stand with 33 other footballers including Atletico Madrid
midfielder Gabi over a 'suspect' May 2011 match between his former club
Real Zaragoza and Levante.
Zaragoza's then-manager Javier Aguirre also faces trial along with others including the club's former sporting director Antonio Prieto and its ex-owner Agapito Iglesias.
The
trial, seen as a certainty in Spain, is expected to be at least six
months away. Respected regional newspaper Las Provincias claimed the 42
people involved could face prison sentences ranging from six months to
four years if convicted. Prison sentences of less than two years for
first-time offenders normally end up being suspended.
The bombshell news comes after a U-turn by Valencia-based investigating judge Isabel Rodriguez. Last July she archived a long-running probe into Zaragoza's 2-1 away win which kept them in La Liga.
The investigation was reopened by Valencia's Provincial Court on January 25 following an appeal by state prosecutors and Deportivo La Coruna, the club relegated as a result of Zaragoza's win.
Reports in Spain say the main basis for the reopening of the case is the £848,450 Zaragoza paid into the accounts of Aguirre, Prieto and nine of their players days ahead of the May 21, 2011 match - and the scarce use Levante players made during the following weeks of their credit card and bank accounts.
El
Pais said investigators suspect the Zaragoza players returned the cash
deposited in their accounts to club managers so it could be passed on to
the Levante players.
It reported anti-corruption prosecutor Alejandro Luzon named Ander Herrera as the recipient of two cash sums of £44,000 and £35,000.
When she archived the case last year, Isabel Rodriguez said the existence of the bank transfers was 'indisputable', but insisted she felt the evidence put forward by prosectors was not enough to consider the match had been fixed.
She said at the time the only certainty was that Zaragoza players and the the then-manager and sporting director had received money whose end use was unknown.
The
same judge has now finalised her probe, having been ordered to
reconsider her shelving of the case last summer, and prepared the way
for trial by concluding proceedings should continue in a higher criminal
court.
Spain's equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service will now have ten days to lodge a formal accusation against 36 players including Herrera and Zaragoza's ex-manager and sporting director and formally request the opening of trial proceedings.
Although defence lawyers can then appeal, the logical outcome would be for the trial to take place.
Las Provincias suggested criminal charges would be brought under section 286.4 Bis of Spain's Penal Code, which covers sport corruption.
Spanish radio station Cadena Ser said: 'There will be a trial and we will see all the players that were called up to play the match between Zaragoza and Levante that was allegedly fixed, being ordered to take the witness stand.'
Herrera has spoken about his implication in the scandal before to insist he committed no wrongdoing.
He
said in December 2014: 'I have never and never will have anything to do
with the manipulation of the results of matches. If I am ever called to
testify in a judicial hearing, I will be delighted to attend.'
A spokesman for Deportivo La Coruna confirmed the Valencia court ruling on Wednesday morning, saying it was the result of an appeal by the club, state prosecutors and league bosses to get the investigation reopened after it was provisionally closed last year. He said: 'We asked for the case to be reopened and this is what has happened.'
A spokesman for La Liga said: 'La Liga does not comment on news that appears in the media. If we do decide to make an official comment, we will do it through the normal channels.'
No-one was immediately available at Real Zaragoza, the club where midfielder Herrera began his career before moving to Athletic Bilbao in 2011 and then to Manchester United in 2014, or at Levante.
Zaragoza's then-manager Javier Aguirre also faces trial along with others including the club's former sporting director Antonio Prieto and its ex-owner Agapito Iglesias.
The bombshell news comes after a U-turn by Valencia-based investigating judge Isabel Rodriguez. Last July she archived a long-running probe into Zaragoza's 2-1 away win which kept them in La Liga.
The investigation was reopened by Valencia's Provincial Court on January 25 following an appeal by state prosecutors and Deportivo La Coruna, the club relegated as a result of Zaragoza's win.
Reports in Spain say the main basis for the reopening of the case is the £848,450 Zaragoza paid into the accounts of Aguirre, Prieto and nine of their players days ahead of the May 21, 2011 match - and the scarce use Levante players made during the following weeks of their credit card and bank accounts.
It reported anti-corruption prosecutor Alejandro Luzon named Ander Herrera as the recipient of two cash sums of £44,000 and £35,000.
When she archived the case last year, Isabel Rodriguez said the existence of the bank transfers was 'indisputable', but insisted she felt the evidence put forward by prosectors was not enough to consider the match had been fixed.
She said at the time the only certainty was that Zaragoza players and the the then-manager and sporting director had received money whose end use was unknown.
Spain's equivalent of the Crown Prosecution Service will now have ten days to lodge a formal accusation against 36 players including Herrera and Zaragoza's ex-manager and sporting director and formally request the opening of trial proceedings.
Although defence lawyers can then appeal, the logical outcome would be for the trial to take place.
Las Provincias suggested criminal charges would be brought under section 286.4 Bis of Spain's Penal Code, which covers sport corruption.
Spanish radio station Cadena Ser said: 'There will be a trial and we will see all the players that were called up to play the match between Zaragoza and Levante that was allegedly fixed, being ordered to take the witness stand.'
Herrera has spoken about his implication in the scandal before to insist he committed no wrongdoing.
A spokesman for Deportivo La Coruna confirmed the Valencia court ruling on Wednesday morning, saying it was the result of an appeal by the club, state prosecutors and league bosses to get the investigation reopened after it was provisionally closed last year. He said: 'We asked for the case to be reopened and this is what has happened.'
A spokesman for La Liga said: 'La Liga does not comment on news that appears in the media. If we do decide to make an official comment, we will do it through the normal channels.'
No-one was immediately available at Real Zaragoza, the club where midfielder Herrera began his career before moving to Athletic Bilbao in 2011 and then to Manchester United in 2014, or at Levante.
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