Ander Herrera faces prison and six-year ban if found guilty of match-fixing.
Spanish midfielder has been told he faces a prison and a six-year ban if found guilty of match-fixing.
The Manchester United midfielder is among 36 players that Spanish state prosecutors want punished for alleged involvement in fixing a key league game. Herrera – who has strongly denied any wrongdoing – is accused of helping to rig a match between Real Zaragoza and Levante in 2011. He played for Zaragoza in the game, which they won 2-1 to avoid relegation on the final day of the season – sending Deportivo La Coruna down instead.
Vicente Iborra is also among those being investigated in the process. A total of 41 people have been accused by investigators and prosecutors have now indicated that they are pushing for a two-year jail terms for anyone found guilty.
Herrera said: “I have never had and will never have anything to do with manipulating match results,
“If I am ever called to testify in any judicial hearing, I’ll be happy to attend, as my conscience is totally clear. I love football and believe in fair play, both on and off the pitch.”
The court agreed with prosecutors that there is a case to answer over claims that Zaragoza paid £859,000 to Levante’s players to lose the match. Two-year jail sentences are usually suspended in Spain, making it unlikely that anyone found guilty would end up in prison.
