Eldense to sit out the rest of the season amid Barça B allegations
The Alicante-based club, condemned to Tercera after 12-0 hammering by Barça B, ask LaLiga to investigate the game over possible match-fixing and suspend all first-team activities.
Eldense’s 12-0 defeat against Barcelona B last weekend is to be the subject of a LaLiga investigation after the Alicante-based club requested the Spanish governing body look into allegations of match-fixing.
Eldense to cease all first-team activity
The side’s loss condemned Eldense to Tercera División and led to the club severing its ties with an Italian investment company that took over the reins a few months ago, stating that “Eldense considers its contract terminated.” The club has also taken the step of “provisionally suspending all first team activity” while the game is investigated, effectively ending their season.
With six games of the 2016-17 season to play in Segunda B, Eldense’s decision opens up a raft of uncomfortable possibilities, not least that the side will face stiff sanctions for not honouring their remaining fixtures and the likelihood that if wrongdoing in the Barça B game is uncovered, the Liga Competition Committee will have to study what to do with the points other Segunda B Group III sides have accumulated against Eldense this season.
Eldense player's tears
After the match on Saturday the tears of Eldense’s English defender Mikey Fernández made headlines across Spain. The player later issued an apology to Eldense fans via social media: “I want to start this message by asking for forgiveness from the Eldense fans, the club and all those people who follow and support this club. Today was the hardest day of my football career. I felt completely helpless on the pitch and I am sorry for the result that we got against Barça B. I again ask the fans for forgiveness and I can only promise that from here to the end of the season we will work, work and work. All the people of Elda and those who support Eldense deserve better.”