Spain's professional league (LFP) has identified a suspected betting fraud involving a "phantom" match between Spanish side Ponferradina and Portuguese club Freamunde which never took place.
The friendly between the two lower league teams was supposed to have been played on Monday at 1000 local time (0800 GMT) despite the fact that Freamunde played a Portuguese League Cup match the previous evening, the LFP said.
"The LFP's integrity unit contacted Ponferradina officials who confirmed that the supposed match never took place and that, therefore, it was a fraudulent manipulation of those who placed bets and the sports betting firms," the LFP said.
The LFP, which has sought to show it is taking a tough stance against match-fixing, will be informing soccer's European and world governing bodies, UEFA and FIFA, and the police of the apparent fraud.
Source: Iain Rogers, "Spanish league denounces fraudulent 'phantom' match", 5 August 2014, Reuters
