The former footballer disclosed that while with Girona, a bribe was offered to secure a win for the team.
In March 2023, Aday Benítez suddenly dominated Spanish media discourse. The reason: the ex-player revealed on El Bar, a Cadena Ser streaming program, that during his time at Girona he was approached with money to let the club finish ahead in a match.
Who is Aday Benítez, the former Girona player who admitted to receiving a bribe for letting himself win in a Second Division game
Born in Sentmenat, Barcelona, on December 16, 1987, Benítez built his career through the lower leagues. He began as a youth player at Granollers and signed with the Third Division side Premia in 2006. In 2009 he stepped up to the Second Division B, delivering an impressive season with Sant Andreu. The following years saw him at L’Hospitalet in 2011, followed by Tenerife in 2013, where he played in the second tier. A year later he joined Girona on a two-year contract. There the Catalan club earned promotion to the top flight, and Benítez later claimed that a bribe of 50,000 euros per person was offered to secure that promotion by letting himself be defeated.
The confession
In the program, Benítez stated, “They offered me 50,000 euros to let the team win the promotion season. It was arranged through a contact in the dressing room who coordinated with trusted teammates to present the offer. In my case the amount was 50,000 euros per player. Fixing a match requires a goalkeeper, a central defender, and a forward who can carry out most of the work. Those involved must participate, even if the task is only partially completed.” He added that he faced a similar suggestion during his time with Tenerife, though he could not confirm it as he was not among the trusted players. He recollected a final game of the season against Sporting de Gijón with the lineup that was not the usual one, saying that the match started with a loss of 3-1 and that some goals looked unusual. “I can’t confirm it, I could never do it because I am not one of the trusted players, but it feels suspicious,” he concluded.
LaLiga complaint
LaLiga has filed a formal complaint with the National Police Center for Integrity in Sports and Gambling in response to Benítez’s statements. The league’s Integrity and Security division emphasizes its objective to prevent and detect any behavior that undermines fair play and distorts competition. Predetermined results constitute a crime, and the league notes that fans can report information through its complaint channel to aid investigations into these integrity breaches. [Citation: Goal]
Source: Goal