Spanish league denies match-fixing investigation

MADRID (AP) — The Spanish football league denied a report Monday that it had asked an anti-corruption squad to investigate possible cases of match-fixing involving first and second division games.

Cadena Ser radio reported the LFP had met with the state prosecutor to ask for an investigation into recent matches, with reports in Spain suggesting Sporting Gijon's 3-0 win at Espanyol Sunday was among them.

The LFP said it had not lodged any complaint about irregularities but met with the state authorities to discuss means of working together to investigate and prevent match-fixing in Spain.

"The LFP has not asked the state prosecutor for an investigation into irregularities involving matches from this season in the first and second division," the LFP said in a statement. "The LFP met with the state prosecutor several weeks ago with the LFP's interests at heart, as it looks to prevent any type of situation that could be deemed illegal."

The LFP vowed to use all means necessary to prosecute any one found guilty of being involved in match-fixing.

Both Espanyol and Sporting hit out at Cadena Cope radio for using unnamed sources to report that their clubs were under investigation, with Sporting president Manuel Vega-Arango saying legal proceedings against the radio station were being considered.

"These things disgust me and I'm very angry about it," Vega-Arango said on Monday. "We're a modest club, economically speaking, but we're very big with a sensational fan base that does not deserve these things."

Sporting is four points from safety with three games to play as relegation to the second division looms.

Cadena Ser also reported European governing body UEFA was investigating suspect betting patterns involving Spanish games.