Red Star rejects allegation PSG match was fixed

L'Equipe reports Red Star Belgrade's clash with Paris Saint-Germain was fixed, but the Serbian club has rejected any wrongdoing.

Published : Oct 13, 2018 00:58 IST

The Rajko Mitić Stadium, Red Star Belgrade's home.
The Rajko Mitić Stadium, Red Star Belgrade's home.
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The Rajko Mitić Stadium, Red Star Belgrade's home.

Red Star Belgrade has rejected "with highest anger and abomination" a report the club's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain was fixed.

The Serbian champion was beaten 6-1 in Paris on October 3, but L'Equipe claims UEFA has alerted French authorities to an alleged plot by a senior Red Star figure to bet €5 million on the club losing by five goals.

Red Star has dismissed the allegation absolutely.

"Red Star with highest anger and abomination rejects the story L'Equipe published today about a suspicious result of the PSG-Red Star match and the involvement of anyone from our club in possible wrongdoing," the Serbian club's statement read.

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"The article can harm and bring big damage to our club's reputation and that is why we insist that UEFA and investigators in Serbia and in France investigate the whole story and get the truth."

"Today's technologies and other mechanisms are so improved that it is basically impossible to leave this case unsolved. Red Star expects to get the truth at short notice, to take off any doubt about our involvement in possible wrongdoing."

PSG responded to L'Equipe's story by saying: "It was with the greatest stupefaction that Paris Saint-Germain discovered this Friday an article on the L'Equipe website regarding suspicions of match-fixing concerning the Champions League game with Red Star Belgrade on October 3, suspicions regarding the alleged actions of bettors from Serbia.

"The club categorically rejects any and all direct and indirect implication in relation to these suspicions and would like to point out at no moment has Paris Saint-Germain been approached by the National Financial Court in charge of the investigation."

"Paris Saint-Germain remains at the disposal of the investigators and will not tolerate the slightest attack on its reputation nor that of its officials. To that end, the club reserves the right to take legal action against any party that makes defamatory statements against the club and/or its officials."

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"The club reaffirms its profound attachment to the fundamental principle of sport, which is and always will be the integrity of its competitions."

France's online betting watchdog ARJEL released a statement to confirm that it had found no irregularity in the country's sports betting market and that no alert had been received from international partners.

Neymar netted a hat-trick in the match, which also saw goals from Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria and Kylian Mbappe. PSG hosts Napoli next, while Red Star visits Liverpool.

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