Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, Keylor Navas and former Fulham star, Bryan Ruiz together with Deportivo La Coruña attacking midfielder Celso Borges have been accused of intentionally losing matches in a bid to get Costa Rica’s former manager, Jorge Luis Pinto sacked
The claims, which were first made in 2018 and have since triggered a lawsuit from the players in a bid to clear their names, detail that Navas, Ruiz, and Celso Borges – were aware of a clause in Pinto’s contract that meant he would lose his job should the team lose three matches in a row.
It is alleged that the three players had disagreements with Pinto and then conspired to get him sacked in the wake of their impressive performance at the 2014 World Cup.
On Monday, 15 the former president of the Football Federation, Eduardo Li, made a very serious accusation against the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper.
A former president of the Costa Rican Football Federation was in court on Monday, March 15, as a witness for the defence, after Navas, Ruiz and Borges triggered a defamation lawsuit in an attempt to prove their innocence, asking for £43,400 in compensation.
Eduardo Li’s comments were disclosed by local media in Costa Rica, with the ex-president quoted as telling the court: ‘I remember that it was Keylor Navas who told me: We lose 3 games, there is a clause like this and like that.
‘Such was this issue that I made the decision not to renew Pinto.’
Li confirmed that the clause stipulated that three consecutive defeats for the team meant the leadership could automatically terminate the contract of the manager.
The trial began last Friday with Navas making a statement via video link from Paris, where he now plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
According to local reports, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper admitted he was ‘very surprised’ at the claims, insisting he did not plan to deliberately lose matches.
‘It is something that has not left our mouths nor will it ever happen, because we have been professional footballers for many years, where we have earned an honour and prestige,’ he explained, according to the newspaper Diario Extra.
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