Match-fixing verdict to come soon

 

The fate of the four clubs embroiled in Italy's match-fixing scandal will be revealed on Friday after 1800 BST.

 

Juventus, Lazio, AC Milan and Fiorentina have been accused of influencing referee appointments.

 

All could be relegated from Serie A while Juve may also be stripped of their last two league titles.

 

It is thought the Italian Federal Appeals Commission president, Cesare Ruperto, will announce the verdicts after the stock exchange closes.

 

Once the verdict is announced, the clubs will have three days to appeal to the Federal Court.

 

The FIGC (Italian football's governing body) must hand Uefa the lists of teams which will be involved in European competitions by 25 July.

 

The national side's World Cup triumph in a penalty shoot-out against France has sparked calls for leniency.

 

"Let's do what they did in ancient Rome: whoever has given us prestige and dignity should be treated differently, as one who has done something exemplary," said Italy's Justice Minister Clemente Mastella.

 

Former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, owner of AC Milan, argued: "We can't penalise the fans. The individuals should be punished, not the clubs.

 

"Let's leave the players and the fans out of it and hit those who are really responsible, the executives and the referees.

 

"But with a serious and fair trial, different to what we are witnessing.

 

"I am against relegation and I don't speak just as president of Milan.

 

"Should Juve be relegated it would hinder other clubs that would lose the revenue they take when they play against a team like Juventus.

 

"One also has to think of the damage this would create to sponsors and televisions companies that have signed contracts with these clubs."

 

However, FIGC chief investigator Francesco Borrelli said there will be no amnesty granted.

 

"I believe the disciplinary procedure should have no connection with the victory," said Borrelli.

 

"If we say that a victory should lead to indulgence, then surely a defeat would have brought more extreme measures of severity.

 

"We are therefore talking about two different things."

 

Local media speculated that the tribunal's rulings could even come as late as Friday or Saturday, allowing Italians more time to revel in Sunday's penalty shoot-out win over France.

 

The tribunal in Rome is investigating charges that the clubs, their management, football officials and referees tried to influence the outcome of matches by interfering with the appointment of officials.

 

In May transcripts were published of telephone conversations between former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi and Italian Football Association officials, discussing refereeing appointments in the 2004-05 season.

 

FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi also charged 26 individuals for sporting fraud and violating fairness and probity.

 

The prosecutor has called for Juventus to be relegated to the third division, the other three teams to be demoted to the second division and for all four teams to be docked points next season.

 

The judge could also hand out fines, bans from European competitions, points deductions as well as relegation and the stripping of titles.

 

The four clubs have denied the accusations.

 

A lawyer for Juventus said on Wednesday the club might agree to relegation to Italy's second division, if found guilty.

 

But the club have warned interested parties they are determined to hold on to as many players as they can despite the possibility of life in a lower division.

 

Thirteen of Italy's World Cup-winning squad play for the clubs involved, with five at the Bianconeri, who also number Patrick Vieira, Lilian Thuram, David Trezeguet, Pavel Nedved and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their ranks.

 

Juve sporting director Alessio Secco warned: "We want everyone to be well aware that we are not a supermarket.

 

"Of course, it's not easy. We have received so many offers, especially from abroad.

 

"It's better not to make too many changes and to have a strong squad, even if it's more costly than having to re-construct it later on.

 

"To make money now is not our priority."

 

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who joined the Turin club for a world record £33m fee for a goalkeeper, is one player heavily tipped to leave Juve.

 

"I will wait for the sentence by the sports tribunal before making a decision," he said. "Now is not the time."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/5164194.stm

 

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I Predict a White Wash

White-wash might be accurate........but I think Juventus will be in S.3 by the end of it all.

lol that would be very funny. would they lose a game the whole season with their current lineup in s3?

Probably not.....but I'm sure most players will have to leave.

Most of the players will want to leave, because would a world-class player want to be playing in the 2nd division, not playing against the best teams in europe?

I hope they throw the book at them!:angry:

FINAL AND OFFICIAL VERDICT :o

 

Juventus: Serie B, - 30 points...last 2 champinships taken away

Fiorentina: Serie B, - 12 points

Lazio: Serie B, - 7 points

Milan: Serie A, but - 15 points

 

holy moly!

Italian trio relegated to Serie B

Serie A sides Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina have been demoted to the second division for their involvement in Italy's match-fixing scandal.

 

AC Milan will stay in Serie A but will lose 15 points and will be kicked out of the Champions League.

 

Juventus were also stripped of their last two titles and had 30 points deducted meaning that they are almost certain to stay down for two seasons.

 

Lazio were penalised seven points while Fiorentina suffered a 12 point penalty.

 

The clubs will have three days to appeal to the Federal Court.

 

The FIGC (Italian football's governing body) must hand Uefa the lists of teams which will be involved in European competitions by 25 July, with Juventus and AC Milan out of the Champions League and Lazio and Fiorentina thrown out of the Uefa Cup.

 

The tribunal in Rome investigated charges that the clubs, their management, football officials and referees tried to influence the outcome of matches by interfering with the appointment of officials.

 

In May transcripts were published of telephone conversations between former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi and Italian Football Association officials, discussing refereeing appointments in the 2004-05 season.

 

FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi also charged 26 individuals for sporting fraud and violating fairness and probity.

 

All four clubs implicated denied the accusations.

 

Thirteen of Italy's World Cup-winning squad play for the clubs involved, with five at Juventus, who also number Patrick Vieira, Lilian Thuram, David Trezeguet, Pavel Nedved and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their ranks

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/5164194.stm

 

AC Milan were lucky

^ yeah, true...i read a bad source

Right which of the 4 teams if any do you think will appeal?

Right which of the 4 teams if any do you think will appeal?

 

Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina, though it's hard to say

 

Juve said that Serie B is good for them, though 30 (!!!) points minus...huh

 

maybe all of them lol

I'd say all of them without success

It'll take a long time to recover from this, Italian club football.

 

Let the cut-price bargains begin!

The champion's league will be thrown open for the next couple years.

Go buy Zambrotta and Toni, Frank!!!

it will be interesting to see what players leave .. if some players stay they will help their club to bounce back but i think the chances of Juve coming back up straight away are slim .. they will have to focus on avoiding relegation to Serie C...

What if the WC was "fixed", too??:rolleyes:

Go buy Zambrotta and Toni' date=' Frank!!![/quote']

 

i've read "only" about Thuram and Zamrotta, but not Toni

 

Toni goes to Inter and if Ibrahimovic goes there as well, then maybe Adriano transfers to Madrid? :/

Closing down sale - everyONE must go!!:P

it will be interesting to see what players leave .. if some players stay they will help their club to bounce back but i think the chances of Juve coming back up straight away are slim .. they will have to focus on avoiding relegation to Serie C...

 

And Serie C isn't classed as 'professional' football, so the contracts will be void if they drop there

The topic of the Spanish "Marca" is very funny... :nice: