Ex-Mexico coach denies match-fixing

MADRID (AP):

Former Mexico coach Javier Aguirre has denied taking money that was allegedly used to fix the result of a Spanish league game eight years ago.

Aguirre testified yesterday in the match-fixing trial involving a game between Levante and Zaragoza at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Aguirre, Zaragoza's coach at the time, is one of more than 40 people who could face two years in prison and a six-year ban if found guilty.

Prosecutors said there is evidence that EU965,000 (nearly US$1 million) was paid to Zaragoza's squad and later transferred to Levante's players to lose the match in the final round of the season.

Zaragoza won 2-1 to avoid relegation. Deportivo La Coruna were demoted as a result.

Former Zaragoza officials said the money was paid to motivate players, not fix the result of the game.

Aguirre and some of the players who have testified denied Zaragoza's version that the money was paid as an incentive.

Aguirre said that he received a deposit without his consent and returned the money to the club because it was not part of his contract.

Some of the players said that they were asked as a favour to the club to withdraw the money deposited into their accounts and return it in cash, which they said they did. A few players said they kept the deposits because they believed the money was owed to them.