Police investigating suspicions of match-fixing arrested the coach and two players of third division Spanish side Eldense after their 12-0 defeat to Barcelona's B team, a police source told AFP on Tuesday. As well as Italian coach Filippo Di Pierro, two unnamed players and the head of an Italian investment fund running the club were arrested and questioned.
Eldense player Cheikh Saad was the first to point the finger at a number of his team-mates and coach after their record-equalling defeat in Spain's Second Division B on Saturday. Saad told radio station Cadena Copa that certain players stood to make "huge sums" of money from bets placed on the match.
Club president David Aguilar then reported his suspicions to police and Spanish football authorities. Di Pierro was appointed coach after an Italian investor took control of the club earlier this season with suspicions now raised over whether that investment was linked to illegal betting patterns.