Soccer: Red cards out for Italy's cheats

From the top of the world to the dregs of the game. After winning the World Cup, Italy is now having to come to terms with four of its and Europe's biggest clubs being found guilty of match-fixing.

The scale of the deceit and the scale of the punishment are difficult to comprehend.


But the response to the sentences in Italy has been mixed.

A spokesman for Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian Prime Minister who owns Milan - which received the lightest penalty - said:

"This sentence on soccer strikes at nearly 20 million fans. Our best players will be forced to play abroad. Well done. Justice served."

Didier Deschamps, appointed last week as Juve's coach, insisted yesterday that he had not made a mistake in taking the job.

"The penalty we have been given is a big one, but we can only do our best," he said. "It is going to be difficult to get back to Serie A in one year, and it might take two, but even so, we will give it our best shot."

The scandal broke in May with the publication of intercepted telephone conversations between Luciano Moggi, the former Juventus general manager, and the Italian football authorities in which refereeing appointments were discussed.

Moggi has been banned from the sport for five years, and Franco Carraro, the former football federation president, for 4 years.

The view in the Italian press was that the sentences were harsh.

"Big blow" was the headline in the sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport.

Rome's sports newspaper, Corriere Dello Sport, said: "Juve pays heavily as they are practically condemned to play two years in Serie B. Milan pays softly as they remain in Serie A, maintain their TV rights ..."

The issue of broadcasting rights could prove troublesome for all four clubs.

Television companies said they were waiting for the outcome of appeals which all four clubs have lodged before they decide whether to renegotiate their lucrative broadcast rights.

The teams hope the appeals process can be completed by Tuesday week, the deadline for Italian football federation to submit its list of teams for next season's Champions' League.


Out and down - the penalties

Juventus
* The champions, relegated and 30 points deducted for next season in Serie B

Fiorentina
* Relegated and docked 12 points for next season

Lazio
* Relegated and docked seven points

Milan
* Docked 44 points in last season's standings, dropping them to eighth place and outside the qualifying places for European competition. Not relegated, but they will start next season with a 15-point deficit.

- INDEPENDENT