Javier Aguirre will manage Japan at the Asian Cup in January despite being named as a defendant in a match-fixing case filed by Spanish prosecutors earlier this week, the Japan Football Association confirmed on Thursday.
Aguirre was on Monday named as one of 41 defendants in a case that followed an investigation into a 2011 Spanish League match that saw Real Zaragoza — at the time managed by Aguirre — beat Levante 2-1 on the final day of the season to avoid relegation from the first division.
Anti-corruption prosecutors allege that Zaragoza made bank transfers to its own players and officials, who then withdrew the money, totaling $1.2 million, and gave it to Levante's players as payment for throwing the match.
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