Sevilla FC defender Kike Salas is under investigation by the National Police for his alleged role in a scandal involving illegal betting.
The probe focuses on matches at the end of the 2023–24 La Liga season, where Salas received ten yellow cards—seven of them in the final nine games, prompting suspicion.
Authorities allege that Salas’s deliberate infractions were part of a coordinated scheme
Two associates close to Salas reportedly placed around 30 bets on these yellow cards across six betting establishments in Morón de la Frontera, Sevilla.
These bets are said to have netted the group €10,000 in profits within a month.
‼️ ÚLTIMA HORA
😱 Informa @elconfidencial que la policía DETIENE a KIKE SALAS por PRESUNTAMENTE forzar amarillas en APUESTAS ILEGALES.
ℹ️ Según ha podido saber @ZonaMixta__ al jugador le han tomado declaraciones hoy en el juzgado y el club espera acontecimientos. #ZonaMixta |… pic.twitter.com/8uT1hvE5tJ
— Zona Mixta (@ZonaMixta__) January 14, 2025
Police detained Salas alongside his alleged accomplices, with all individuals later appearing in court.
After questioning, Salas was released but remains a key figure in the ongoing investigation.
Despite the allegations, he has continued training with Sevilla FC, whose management stated: “We trust the player’s presumption of innocence.”
Salas’s yellow card record from the 2023–24 season has raised questions, especially as seven of the ten yellow cards occurred during a critical stretch of nine matches.
The Spanish football community is grappling with the fallout of these revelations, with calls for stricter oversight to prevent further betting-related corruption.
