After shockingly losing this weekend's match against Barcelona B, a player from the Spanish Segunda División B side Eldense stepped up and accused his team-mates of match fixing.
Barcelona B defeated Eldense 12-0, in what set a record for the biggest goal differential in the category. However, suspicions of match-fixing emerged almost immediately, which would be later confirmed by the most unexpected source.
Mauritanian striker Cheikh Saad revealed in an interview that four of his team-mates were involved in a scheme to rig the game against Los Blaugranas' "B" Squad. The player even involved his coach, who was aware of who the players plotting the scheme were.
"I know who they are, but I can't reveal their names yet. I almost exchanged blows with some of them after the game. Four of my team-mates were involved. You can't blame players from Barcelona B, they did what they had to do: score goals," Saad said.
Saad joined Eldense prior to the start of this season.
The player also narrated how his coach and team-mates had notion of what was going on.
"Thirty minutes before the game's kick-off, I was supposed to be a starter, but those involved forced me out of the lineup. The coach had an idea, as well as some of my other team-mates. There was a moment when my coach asked me to play, but I refused. I also told the rest of the team to refuse, if they wanted to keep their names untarnished," the player added.
Suspiciones emerged after a tweet sent by Saad moments afte the game ended.
"I want to apologize to our fans. All we have to do is try to compete with dignity during the remaining games. We have to ask those involved and even the coach to take responsability for what they've done, you can't have players on the pitch with their head down and not putting up an effort. Everything will be revealed, because losing 12-0 is simply unreal. Carry on, Eldense!"
— cheikh saad (@cheiko20) April 2, 2017
La Liga's President Javier Tebas has already ordered the match to be investigated. This is the third match-fixing scandal to emerge in Spanish football in the past two years.
