MADRID: At least 11 footballers have been arrested in Spain over suspicions of forming a criminal organisation to undertake matchfixing.

El Pais has reported that the 11 included a number of current players from the top and second division clubs as well as the former Real Madrid and Spain defender Raul Bravo.

The arrested also reportedly included Borja Fernandez (just retired with Valladolid), Carlos Aranda (former Real Madrid youth player who played for a number of other clubs), Íñigo López Montaña (Deportivo de La Coruña and formerly Huesca), Agustín Lasaosa (president of SD Huesca) and Juan Carlos Galindo Lanuza (Huesca’s head of medical services).

Raúl Bravo, now 38, was a fullback or central defender who rose through the Real Madrid youth system to spend six years in the senior squad, mainly as a reserve. He played 14 times for Spain including three appearances at the 2004 European Championship finals.

After leaving Madrid Raul Bravo was six times a champion of Greece with Olympiacos before returning to Spain with Rayo Vallecano and Numancia. He also played briefly in Belgium with Beerschot.

The arrests followed nine police raids on offices in Huesca, Madrid, Valladolid, Malaga and La Coruña, with the main focus being on just-relegated Huesca.

The club’s lawyer, Pedro Camareto, told El Pais: “There is no concern and we are available to respond to any and all court orders.”

Those involved are are accused of agreeing to three games in the first, second and third divisios although police sources said “the attempt  regarding the third division game was unsuccessful.”

The investigation was launched, according to LaLiga sources, with the Huesca-Nàstic game just before the end of last season’s second division campaign which triggered a warning of illicit activity from betting detection systems.

Nastic, fighting relegation, won 1-0 against Huesca who were already assured of promotion.

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