Charlie Smith
A SPANISH court has cleared 36 players of match fixing, including former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera.
A probe relating to the 2010-2011 season was launched after it was suspected that sporting corruption had taken place in a Levante-Zaragoza match.
The latter team won the match, which saw them avoid being relegated from La Liga, Spain’s top football league.
However, a pair of former Zaragoza officials were found guilty of fraud, with the club alleged to have paid their opponents €965,000 to throw the match in a bid to stay in the top flight.
Herrera, who now plays for Paris St Germain, and former Atletico Madrid captain Gabi Fernandez – both ex-Zaragoza players – were among those on trial.
A court in Valencia found 41 people, including the players, not guilty, with the judge citing a lack of evidence.
However, 15-month jail sentences were handed to former Zaragoza president Agapito Iglesias and former financial director Javier Porquera.
The duo were found guilty of using club money to pay for €1.73 million in relegation bonuses for players.
In Spain if sentences are under two years, first-time offenders are usually allowed to skip jail for suspended sentences.
