Betting scandal in Spain: 'Sevilla' player arrested

2025-01-24 16:26 © scanpix

Spanish football has been shaken by a scandal.

“SBC Noticias” reports that police have arrested Sevilla defender Kike Salas, who is accused of manipulating matches in La Liga.

During the matches, the 22-year-old defender deliberately received yellow cards so that both he and others who placed money on bets could gain financial benefits.

If the player's guilt is proven, he faces severe sanctions from the Spanish Football Federation.

K. Salas could be handed the maximum five-year ban and a fine of up to 30,000 euros.

In the 2023-2024 La Liga season, the defender “earned” 10 yellow cards, but seven of them were shown in the last 9 matches. This is what raised the suspicions of the investigators.

It is reported that two more individuals have been added to the list of suspects, but law enforcement officials do not rule out the possibility that more criminals were involved in the scheme.