Uefa Champions League : Group D

Squelchy

So, nothing to feel suspicious about there then...?

I believe French and (for some reason) Belgian authorities are looking into some "unusual betting patterns" in relation to how this group finished up last night.

I'm not sure how much we're permitted speculate on something like this here, but it just doesn't look right, does it?
And it wouldn't be the first time Zagreb have been suspected of being involved in some odd goings on.

yesno1234

There's also a pic in the football tips thread on the gambling forum of one of the Lyon goalscorers, after the fifth or sixth goal, winking at the Dynamo keeper. Whether it's the two of them knowing 'something' or the Lyon striker winding the keeper up, who knows?

Hank Scorpio

I found it weird how the Lyon striker didn't rush to grab the ball each time he scored aswell

GavRedKing

Its all here : http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Video-Does-this-wink-from-Domagoj-Vida-prove-Dinamo-Zagreb-vs-Lyon-was-fixed-article840856.html

The French online gambling authority (ARJEL) has opened an investigation into Lyon's 7-1 victory at Dinamo Zagreb which saw the French side progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League at the expense of Ajax.

Lyon - who had only scored two goals in the previous five Champions League group matches - needed to win, Ajax to lose to Real Madrid and a seven-goal swing in their favour to progress to the next round, and managed it helped by a seven-minute second-half hat-trick from France striker Bafetimbi Gomis.

ARJEL are reported to be "currently carrying out checks" following the match.

As well as the result, suspicions were also raised when Dinamo Zagreb’s Domagoj Vida was caught on camera winking and giving the thumbs up to Gomis after Lisandro Lopez scored Lyon's fifth goal (see the video below).

Ajax boss Frank de Boer has called for UEFA to investigate the match. He said: "If there was something unusual, UEFA should investigate what happened in Zagreb.

"My assistants have told me that the goals came quick and easy, because you can’t normally score these goals in half an hour."

Dinamo Zagreb strongly rejected any suggestion match fixing.
A club statement said: "It's scandalous and malicious to proclaim the Champions League match between Dinamo and Lyon as suspicious.

"Of course, no one in club can't be satisfied after that result, but it is also obvious that Dinamo was fighting after taking the lead, after equalising and when Lyon took the lead to achieve the best possible result.

"GNK Dinamo once again strongly objects to all domestic and foreign media speculation about any dishonourable actions regarding the game result. A better team with an extra player won the game in Maksimir and managed to qualify for the next stage of the UEFA Champions League."
But Lyon today accepted the ARJEL investigation after such an "atypical" result.

The statement on their official website read: "Lyon have become aware of the checks being carried out this morning by ARJEL, which fit with the procedures of the agency responsible for the regulation of online gaming.
"The club agree totally that action should be taken when a result is considered atypical."

Neil3030

Ajax were 1.07 to qualify on Betfair before last night's games.

I'd say a few accounts took a pounding.

HalloweenJack

If Ajax had won, nobody would be bothering with this at all.

amacachi

If there's anything suspicious to look at it would be the two goals Ajax had disallowed when a goal down.

I'd love if figures were released when these "suspicious betting patterns" are investigated. Knowing a 7-goal turnaround was necessary, Ajax were down 2 and Lyon were up by 2 or 3 against a team down to 10 men of course plenty of people will be tempted to have a go at it.

Dotrel

Wouldn't be the first time this happened to a Dutch team. 1984 Euro qualifying group going into the final day......

 Netherlands		8	6	1	1	22	6	+16	13
 Spain			7	5	1	1	12	7	+5	11
 Republic of Ireland	8	4	1	3	20	10	+10	9
 Iceland		8	1	1	6	3	13	−10	3
 Malta			7	1	0	6	4	25	−21	2

Spain basically had to win their final game by 11 goals take top spot and qualify at the expense of Netherlands. I think you can guess the rest....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX8oRHuzhY0

theteal

So do people think that Zagreb sacked their manager as a smokescreen to deflect any suspicion on their end, or was he in on it and that's why he got the bullet?

Dum duh duuuuuuuh!

n32

after watching our kamikaze defending and inexplicable misses v benfica and basle in the group games, the betting authorities should be looking at United aswell!:rolleyes:

dfx-

Looking at the manner of the goals, the sixth in particular, there's no way a professsional team can try that little to follow runs, not stop crosses, not following Lyon runners in the box, no fouls, no tackles, no challenges, no pressure.

The standard of Zagreb is no excuse either. Personal and professional pride should see them try harder at least. Ajax have been thrown under the bus..

CSF

HalloweenJack wrote: »

If Ajax had won, nobody would be bothering with this at all.

Even if that is true which is far from definite, how is it in any way relevant?

Fuzzy_Dunlop

How does the seven goal swing come in to it? I thought it was based on head to head results when teams were level on points in the CL?

SteelyDanJalapeno

HalloweenJack wrote: »

If Ajax had won, nobody would be bothering with this at all.

Ajax were never gonna win their game, did you not see the 2 blatant goals they had disallowed?

CSF

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

How does the seven goal swing come in to it? I thought it was based on head to head results when teams were level on points in the CL?

Both games were nil all draws.

Dotrel

CSF wrote: »

Both games were nil all draws.

I'm guessing head-to-head ranking might have been invented in part as a way to help avoid scenarios like this, unfortunately as has been demonstrated they are still a possibility when the "two legs" don't separate the pairing.