Sevilla player Kike Salas awaits trial post arrest over match-fixing allegations

Sevilla football player Kike Salas is awaiting trial following his arrest last week over allegations of match-fixing. According to reports, Salas was involved in betting-related fraud, intentionally receiving multiple cards during official La Liga matches to benefit third parties.

The case was filed on Thursday by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The Federation will wait for the Justice Court's final ruling, after which it will issue its disciplinary action against the player.

If convicted, Salas could face a five-year ban from professional football and a fine of up to €30,000, as stipulated by the RFEF. However, a conviction by the Justice Court could result in a prison sentence ranging from six months to three years, according to SBC Noticias.

Salas was arrested last week and is accused of participating in a match-fixing scheme, allegedly manipulating the outcomes of Sevilla’s La Liga games for personal gain and to benefit others. The investigation suggests that two individuals placed bets on Salas receiving yellow cards, with the player being booked 10 times during the 2023/24 season – seven of which occurred in his final nine matches, heightening suspicion. 

While these two individuals are under investigation, authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a larger match-fixing network. Last week, La Liga informed the Associated Press that it plans to request involvement in any judicial proceedings related to the case.

Meanwhile, Sevilla issued a statement: "The club, following what happened today in relation to our player Kike Salas, would like to place on record our full respect for the judicial process as well as the presumption of innocence of our player."

"The club would also like to state that we condemn any fraudulent activity in the world of sport and in particular those that may affect the integrity of the competition."