Atletico president sent to jail

Atletico Madrid president Jesus Gil has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his fraud conviction relating to the club’s stock market flotation 11 years ago.

The conviction also related to the financial management of the outfit after 1992.

The Audencia Nacional court have also sentenced Gil’s son, Atletico general director, Miguel Angel, to 18 months in prison while Atletico vice-president Enrique Cerezo received a 12 month sentence.

Gil has announced he will appeal the sentence, which he described as unjust, to the Supreme Tribunal of Spain.

“We are going to appeal to the Tribunal Supremo. What we saw during the trial and the sentencing is basically irrelevant,” he told reporters outside the court room.

“The result was already decided. It’s clear that they [the state] want to ruin me and destroy my prestige.

“I will carry on as president. My shares go to the club and are not under the control of the court and on Sunday I will sit in the directors’ box.”