THE Debrecen goalkeeper at the centre of match-fixing allegations involving a Champions League game against Liverpool has denied any wrongdoing.
It has been claimed that prior to the match at Anfield in September 2009 Vukasin Poleksic was paid by a Far East betting syndicate to let in more than two goals.
As it turned out Liverpool missed a host of chances and only won 1-0 courtesy of a strike from Dirk Kuyt after Fernando Torres’ shot had been parried.
Hungarian outfit Debrecen have confirmed that Poleksic was approached by match-fixers but the shot-stopper insists he didn’t try to manipulate the result.
“Anyone who watched the match would know that what people are saying is bull,” he said.
“We lost 1-0 at Liverpool and I played a good game. I made lots of saves: a one-on-one against Albert Riera, one from Fernando Torres, one from Steven Gerrard. I remember it all. How can anyone say I threw the game?
“The match did not seem at all odd that night. I was just delighted to be playing at Anfield. It was a great night for me and my club and we played well.
“It was the biggest match of my career. Liverpool have always been my favourite club. I love them and can’t believe what people have said about me. But I know I am clean.
“At the end of the game, I swapped shirts with Pepe Reina, as I did in the return game. I still have Reina’s shirt on my wall at home. I’m such a big fan of his. I just worry that people will believe what is being said.”
The 30-year-old Montenegro keeper returned to action last summer after serving a suspension for failing to inform the authorities about an approach from fixers before a Champions League game with Fiorentina in 2009.
Poleksic says he refused their offer to help fix the game in return for cash but his failure to pass on information about the criminal gang’s intentions led to a two-year ban and an £8,500 fine from UEFA.
“They called me a week or 10 days before the game and it made it difficult for me to play,” he added.
“I was so scared of making a mistake in case I was accused of something. I don’t know who the people were who called me. I told them ‘I don’t do this, I’d never do this, please don’t call me’.
“I don’t know where they were from but I made the mistake of not saying anything. I wasn’t sure it was so serious and I had no information about the people so I didn’t say anything.
“Every goalkeeper in the world makes mistakes but my big one was that I didn’t call the police.
“But I didn’t fix anything. I came back in June and the club have been behind me the whole time.
“Nobody understands what I’ve been through. ”
Liverpool say they have never been notified by any organisation that the match at Anfield was under investigation. There has never been any suspicion of wrongdoing by anyone at Liverpool.
