Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Ikechukwu Uche and Wellington Silva deny La Liga match-fixing scandal

Current Villarreal forward Ikechukwu Uche and Almeria attacker Wellington Silva both say they know nothing about Real Zaragoza's 2-1 win at Levante in May 2011 having been potentially fixed.

Uche, Wellington and 16 other players and team officials involved that day have so far appeared in front of Spanish government anti-corruption investigators who reportedly believe they have evidence the result was arranged in advance.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has said he believes the game was fixed, and that a Spanish court will eventually find that a crime took place, with prison sentences possible for those found guilty.

#INSERT type:image caption:Uche has denied his involvement in the match-fixing scandal, saying the game was played out as normal. END#

After appearing in front of the investigators in Madrid on Monday ex-Zaragoza player Uche, 30, told reporters that as far as he was concerned nothing untoward had taken place.

"I am relaxed," Uche said. "I did not take part in anything. It was a normal game."

Former Levante attacker Wellington, who is currently on loan from Arsenal at Almeria, made similar comments to the media as he left the building.

"It was a normal game," Wellington said. "It was what it had to be. I did not expect this, but it has happened to me."

According to El Pais' latest report the investigators believe some Zaragoza players received bank transfers of 85,000 to 90,000 euros each from their club.

They reportedly contend that this money was then given to Levante's players in cash after the game had finished in a way which had been agreed in advance.

The apparent defence of those who made the payments is that these were [legal] bonuses paid as an incentive to their own team's players ahead of a must-win fixture in their ultimately successful battle to avoid relegation that season.

Should the case go to trial, and a fix be proven, the guilty parties could face jail terms of six months to four years. Players or officials could also be banned from the game for one to six years.

#INSERT type:image caption:Atletico Madrid captain Gabi has already given evidence in the case and could face a lengthy ban if found guilty. END#

Those already called to give evidence in the case on the Zaragoza side include former club president Agapito Iglesias, current Atletico Madrid captain Gabi, Jorge Lopez, Braulio, Diogo and Ivan Obradovic.

Of those who played for Levante that day ex-club captain Sergio Ballesteros, Hector Rodas, Vicente Iborra, Xavi Torres, Christian Stuani, Felipe Caicedo, Manolo Reina, Miquel Robuste, Cerra and Juanfran have been called to answer questions.

Players or officials involved that day and now based outside of Spain, such as Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera and now Japan coach Javier Aguirre, have not been called to testify.

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