Osasuna issued a statement denouncing the fact that it received a report from UEFA inspectors declaring the club’s “ineligibility” to participate in next season’s UEFA Conference League. This decision is due to the conviction of former directors of the club for match-fixing that occurred almost a decade ago.
The “Rojillo” club expressed its dissatisfaction with the situation, mentioning that UEFA has not taken into account that the Spanish courts have declared that Osasuna was the victim of money diversion by some of its former directors, without the knowledge of the club’s Assembly and internal control mechanisms. Osasuna argued that the current managers of the club filed a complaint in court to recover the stolen money and restore the good name of the club.
Osasuna criticized UEFA for punishing the current managers instead of recognizing their efforts to solve the problem. The club stated that it will appeal this decision before the UEFA bodies and will also take legal action in this regard. They also denounced the silence of the main Spanish soccer bodies, including the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), on the issue.
The RFEF responded to Osasuna’s statement by calling the accusations “infamy” and denying any involvement in the matter. The federation stated that it has acted and will continue to act in defense of the interests of the club and the fans.
Osasuna qualified for the UEFA Conference League by finishing seventh in last season’s Spanish La Liga.