LaLiga investigates Rayo players after loss against Sociedad
According to El Mundo, the betting pattern towards a victory for La Real grew abnormally one day before the game. LaLiga officials say that they are looking into it.
LaLiga is investigating whether or not Rayo Vallecano players threw the game against Real Sociedad in Anoeta on Sunday 8 May (which they lost 2-1). According to the newspaper El Mundo, the LFP had received "complaints of alleged match-fixing regarding the performances of several players". Although the defeat would put Rayo's hopes of remaining in the Primera division into serious doubt, the suspicion is that some players could benefit from this result financially. Paco Jemez, Rayo's coach, flatly denies the charge and defends the integrity of his players. The bookmakers on the other hand, decided to fix the price of a home win at 2.70 euros a day before the match after they witnessed some abnormally high growth in this market.
AS contacted LaLiga to find out more and were told, "there has been no formal complaint, and even less so anyone being accused." They did however confirm that regular monitoring of the matches goes on with special attention given to those games that have a key impact at the end of the season or when a complaint has been made.
Eyes open
The department of integrity, managed by Alfredo Lorenzo, is alerted to any complaints and monitors activity through Federbet, the company responsible for detecting irregularities in sports betting. Surveillance is intensified and a focus put on anything out of the ordinary in those games. This is what has happened in the case of Real Sociedad-Rayo Vallecano.