LFP raises concerns over alleged match-fixing in La Liga

According to reports in Spain, Sporting Gijon's 3-0 victory over Espanyol at the Cornella-El Prat on Saturday evening is one of the games under suspicion and is to be investigated

The Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) has reportedly asked the Anti-Corruption Attorney’s Office to investigate suspected cases of match-fixing within the Primera Division.

The claim was made by Jose Ramon de la Morena, host of Cadena SER show 'El Larguero', via his Twitter account on Sunday evening, while Cadena COPE has alleged that Espanyol's 3-0 defeat at home to relegation-threatened Sporting Gijon on Saturday is one of the games under investigation.

According to Cadena SER, the Spanish football authorities were alerted to instances of irregular betting surrounding certain La Liga fixtures this season and a number of players have apparently been implicated in this regard.

Sporting has previously been accused of agreeing the outcome of games with Racing Santander. In what became known as the 'Pact of Llanes', the Asturians lost a game on the final day of the 2009-10 season which kept their Cantabrian rivals in the top flight, with then Sporting coach Manolo Preciado having admitted at the time that he wanted former club Racing to win.

The following year, meanwhile, Sporting picked up three crucial points against the Santander outfit in its own fight against relegation. In both instances, there was not enough evidence to bring a case against either club.

Sporting went into Saturday's La Liga clash with mid-table Espanyol in dire need of a victory in order to keep its hopes of beating the drop alive.