Primeria Liga, Portugal’s top-tier soccer league, leaders Benfica discover themselves in scorching water because the membership is being investigated for doable match fixing. A number of media experiences in Portugal said that the investigation was launched on account of hacked emails, that are at the moment being examined by prosecutors. It additional said that the fixing allegations pertains to a four-year interval between 2016 and 2020.
The members who have been serving as administrators and board members in the course of the time interval are at the moment being investigated. It additionally consists of former Portugal star Rui Costa.
Costa grew to become the membership’s vice-president in 2020, however was elevated because the president after Luis Filipe Vieira stepped down from the place. Vieira, who had held the place for a very long time, was arrested on expenses referring to fraud, forgery, tax evasion and cash laundering.
As per the Day by day Mail, Benfica have benefitted on a number of events throughout the timeframe.
Benfica have co-operated with the proceedings, additionally releasing an official assertion on this regard.
“Bearing in mind the information made public at this time, Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol SAD confirms that it appeared in court docket on January 3, in addition to, amongst others, the members of the Board of Administrators from 2016 to 2020 and who’re at the moment in workplace,” the assertion learn.
“Benfica SAD is not going to remark additional because the trial is underneath authorized secrecy. Benfica expresses its complete willingness to collaborate with the competent authorities, as has all the time occurred so far.”
Final yr Benfica denied paying a former Portuguese referee for beneficial selections. It was reported that Bruno Paixao had acquired €1.9 million from ‘Finest for Enterprise’, a third-party firm arrange by Benfica.
“The membership has by no means been confronted with allegations of this nature, even along side the title Bruno Paixão,” a press release mentioned.