UEFA removes Spanish club Osasuna from European competition for decade-old match-fixing #UEFA #removes #Spanish #club #Osasuna #European #competition #decadeold #matchfixing

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Spanish club Osasuna was removed from the Europa Conference League on Wednesday by UEFA because club officials were implicated in fixing matches a decade ago.

Osasuna said in a statement it will appeal the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

By finishing seventh in La Liga last season, Osasuna earned a place in the playoff round of the third-tier European club competition, needing to beat one opponent in August to advance to the group stage.

Ireland's Nathan Collins, right, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Euro 2024 group B qualifying soccer match between Greece and Ireland at the OPAP Arena in Athens, Greece, Friday, June 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Nathan Collins has become Brentford’s record signing after completing a transfer from Premier League rival Wolverhampton.

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands on the touchline before a French League One soccer match against Brest at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Jan. 9, 2021. It is fair to say things have not gone to plan for Todd Boehly at Chelsea. Pochettino is promising to change all that. The Premier League club's new manager officially got down to work on Monday, July 3, 2023, and in his first day in the office gave a glimpse of the ambition that likely convinced Boehly he was the man to turn Chelsea's fortunes around. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

It’s fair to say things have not gone to plan for Todd Boehly at Chelsea. Mauricio Pochettino is promising to change all that.

Britain's Liam Broady in action during his men's singles match against Constant Lestienne of France on day one of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 3, 2023 (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

British tennis player Liam Broady is a fan of Manchester City. And the Premier League soccer team is fan of Broady.

FILE - United States' Alex Morgan plays during the first half of an international friendly soccer match against Ireland Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in St. Louis. Morgan is one of the veterans selected Wednesday, June 21, 2023, for the United States team that will defend its title at the Women's World Cup next month.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

The brightest talents in women’s soccer will be on show at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

UEFA’s verdict lifts eighth-place Athletic Bilbao into the competition instead. A CAS ruling likely will be needed ahead of Athletic’s scheduled first-leg game on Aug. 24.

Osasuna officials who are no longer with the club were implicated in fixing matches between 2012 and 2014.

However, UEFA’s competition rules state that teams implicated in fixing any game played since April 2007 can be removed from the next competition for which they qualify. Osasuna had not qualified for a UEFA competition since the 2006-07 season. Further disciplinary measures can follow.

The lineup for the Europa Conference League playoff round faces further uncertainty because of pending rulings by UEFA judicial bodies.

Juventus is under investigation by UEFA’s club finance monitoring panel over false accounting allegations that already resulted in a 10-point deduction in Serie A.

That domestic punishment dropped Juventus out of the Champions League qualification places into the Europa Conference League, costing the club tens of millions of euros (dollars).

Aston Villa is under UEFA scrutiny over integrity rules relating to multi-club ownership. Villa’s American owners have a stake in Portuguese club Vitoria, which also qualified for the Europa Conference League.