Former Spain and Barcelona defender Gerard Pique investigated over allegations of corruption



 A Spanish court has ordered an official investigation into former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique over the Spanish Super Cup's Saudi Arabia deal.

A formal investigation has been launched over the former La Roja defender's alleged role in a deal that saw the Spanish Super Cup relocated to Saudi Arabia as per The Athletic. In exchange for brokering the arrangement, Pique's company Kosmos negotiated agreements with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that would pay it €40 million (£34 million) and give the RFEF €400 million (£340 million). The 37-year-old has now been formally added to the list of individuals who are the subject of an official inquiry into the suspected offences.

Since June 2022, the court has been looking into whether former RFEF president Luis Rubiales committed a crime of 'improper' management when the federation decided to shift the event in conjunction with Piqué's Kosmos business. In March, police informed Rubiales—who has denied any wrongdoing—that he was a suspect in the investigation after he returned from two months in the Dominican Republic on what he characterised as a work vacation. In the corruption investigation, police searched Rubiales' house and the headquarters of the RFEF in March and detained seven individuals during the search.

Comments