Judge reopens match-fixing case involving Levante and Zaragoza

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A soccer ball hits a net. (AP/Thanassis Stavrakis)

MADRID — A Spanish judge has reopened a match-fixing case involving a soccer game between Levante and Zaragoza from May 2011.

The Valencia-based court ruled Friday that the case is ready to go to trial after finding in favour of an appeal by state prosecutors to reopen the case, which had been shelved by a lower court.

The court agrees with prosecutors that there are indications that Zaragoza paid 965,000 euros ($1 million) to Levante’s players to lose the match. Zaragoza’s 2-1 victory at the end of the 2010-11 allowed the team to avoid relegation.

Players and the clubs have denied any wrongdoing

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