Seven people linked to Serie B outfit Catania have been arrested by Italian police over suspected match-fixing during last season.

Catania struggled on their return to the second tier of Italian football after dropping out of Serie A in 2013-14, and the arrests relate to matches alleged to have been fixed to ensure they avoided successive relegations.

At the end of the 42-game campaign, Catania finished 15th in the table, two points clear of being involved in any play-off matches and five off automatic relegation.

"Police executed seven arrest warrants against leaders of Catania who would buy a few games of the Serie B season that has just ended to allow the team to win and avoid relegation," a police statement read. 

"The executives arrested are accused in various ways of fraud in sports competitions. There are further raids being carried out in Rome, Chieti, Campobasso and Catania."