Police Expect to Arrest 11 Current, Former La Liga Players in Match-Fixing Raid

Authorities in Spain have said they are expecting to make 11 arrests in line with an investigation into match-fixing in the country's top three divisions. 

Per Adriana Garcia of ESPN FC, Spanish police provided more details in relation to the operation which is being called "Oikos":

"Police agents are carrying out an operation against an organisation allegedly involved in match-fixing in professional football.

"Eleven people are expected to be detained, including current and former players from the first division, as well as club presidents and executives.

"The investigation has allowed us to corroborate that those investigated reached agreements with different players to 'fix' at least three games relating to the [Spanish] first, second and third divisions. One of those games fixed, the second division game, had a strong impact on bets, with [betting] companies registering a volume of money 14 times higher than usual for that division."

Garcia reported that a complaint was registered by La Liga following a second-tier match between Huesca and Nastic Tarragona in May of last year.

A large number of bets were received on the scoreline being 0-0 at half-time and Nastic going on to win the game. They eventually triumphed 1-0 over Huesca—who already had their promotion secured to the top flight—thanks to an Ikechukwu Uche goal in the 72nd minute.

As cited by Garcia, the general director of Federbet—an anti-match-fixing organisation—Francesco Baranca said there was "unusual activity" in regard to betting patterns around the game, which led to around 30 outlets suspending any bets on the match.

It's added a profit of €10 million was made on the match, with large bets being placed from Ukraine and Asia.

Garcia added that Spanish agency Europa Press said a couple of those to be arrested are La Liga players, although none of the country's high-profile outfits are involved in the investigation.