JUVENTUS TO BE RELEGATED?

Last updated : 22 June 2006 By Ed

The Times:

A corruption investigation by the Italian FA has a weight of evidence against Juventus, possibly condemning the Serie A champions to relegation, newspaper reports have said.

The report by Francesco Saverio Borrelli, the Italian FA's investigator, also appeared to threaten AC Milan's Serie A status. "Juve trembles, Milan in trouble" was the headline in Corriere dello Sport.

The scandal — the largest in Italian football history — involves allegations of match-fixing, illegal betting and manipulation of referee assignments. Juventus, who won a record 29th title last season, face relegation — possibly to the third division — and Milan could be demoted to Serie B. Lazio and Fiorentina have also been implicated but to a lesser degree.

Stefano Balducci, an Italian FA official, said that the report has been passed to magistrates, who will decide by the end of the week which teams, if any, should stand trial. The decision could come as soon as today, with any trials beginning next week.

According to the newspapers, Borrelli's report suggested that the wrongdoing was not related to single matches but was "structured". The report concluded that there was a "code of compliance and solidarity" among Italy's elite clubs and "a structure of bribery", Balducci said. He gave warning, however, that those were Borrelli's opinions.

Yesterday, Didier Deschamps, the former France captain, said that he has been asked to coach Juventus if the club are relegated. Deschamps told La Gazzetta dello Sport that the club, for whom he played between 1994 and 1999, had contacted him to replace Fabio Capello, the coach, if they were demoted.