11/23/24
July 14, 2006
Match Fixing Result Already Known?: Suitably, it seems that Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sport already know the outcome of the match fixing trials affecting four of Italy's largest club teams; Juventus, Lazio, Fiorentina and Milan.
The official result is expected tonight, after the Italian stock exchange closes.
posted by Mr Bismarck to soccer at 08:28 AM - 17 comments
Milan got kicked a little harder than they should have Eh, mebbee not. IIRC, there's been some more damning stuff put forward for Milan lately, according to the nightly news. I don't remember enough details to Google as I was sort of distracted by that shiny gold cup thing ;) Berlusconi's calling for the individuals involved to be punished and not the team/fans. I'm torn on this sentiment; on one hand why should the teams (and I mean players here) be punished for the actions of their higher ups. On the other hand, Berlusconi's the one saying it and ooo God do I hate to agree with that man. He's been complaining about the speed of the trial/process as well. It has gone through remarkabley fast for the italian judicial system (so as not to incur an exclusion of Italy by FIFA), yet I'm sure there will be appeals and such. Again, rather ironic that he's the one complaining as the trials he's been personally involved in take a glacial era to go through and he changes the laws in the meantime in his favour. Sooo glad he's out of the PM office. The speed of the process does leave me wondering who hasn't been caught yet. I think Lazio's getting off a bit harsh as only their (dickhead of a ) president Lotito was named. Lazio fans have hated that guy since the get go. Fiorentina have two named, but it's also a shame as they worked their way up from C1 not too long ago - to go back down again is a major blow for the Viola fans. The big kicker about calciopoly/Moggiopoly is that with relegation, alot of the Italian talent looks as if it will go by-bye (as in outside the boot), which for me is the real suckage in this whole weinerschnitzel. Moggi sucks. May he burn on the 9th level of hell along with the rest of the traitors for screwing over my beloved Juve. ps - Trivia: Moggi used to work the ticket window in a rinky dink train station outside of Rome and managed to get his state pension by the age of forty.
posted by romakimmy at 09:09 AM on July 14, 2006
pps- actually, what I'd really like to see happen? Moggi & other team officals thrown in the clink. Then Pierluigi Collina beats the everliving shit out of the indicted refs on national TV.
posted by romakimmy at 09:25 AM on July 14, 2006
Most, if not all, big time stars have "relagation clauses" in their contracts which allow them to move if a club gets relagated. I am curious to see if some try to leave the relagated clubs or stick around for the money and ride the club back up. Being out of international competition will also be an incentive to move.
posted by Oracle199 at 09:51 AM on July 14, 2006
I'll bet the four teams are glad that they didn't get this ref.
posted by pholcomb at 12:16 PM on July 14, 2006
I can't find an English link yet, but: Juventus: Serie B with 30 point penalty, last place in 2005/2006 season Milan: Serie A with 15 point penalty, no European cups Fiorentina: Serie B with 12 point penalty Lazio: Serie B with 7 point penalty The teams have 3 days to appeal. One of Berlusconi's henchmen (the Mediaset president Fedele Confalonieri) has predictably said that Milan's inclusion/sentence is politcally motivated. Both Berlusconi and Confalonieri have been named in yet another trial for fiscal fraud, money laudering, and other fun stuff.
posted by romakimmy at 02:17 PM on July 14, 2006
Wow. Juve have to win ten games just to get back to zero. That pretty much rules out promotion next season, so it looks like two years in Serie B, which will mean the like of Buffon going over the side, right, Kimmy?
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:42 PM on July 14, 2006
And an link in English : Clicky.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:44 PM on July 14, 2006
There was a rumour about Buffon signing with Milan (which was a pretty stupid rumor, really) but, yeah, I doubt Juve will have anybody left. Maybe Del Piero and really tiny chance Nedved, who's said he'd stay if he doesn't retire. I'd bet Toni will leave Fiorentina as well, Oddo & Perruzzi might stay with Lazio. Also Lippi has already left the Azzurri, replaced by Roberto Donadoni, who was fired from Livorno this year.
posted by romakimmy at 02:51 PM on July 14, 2006
So the rumours about Buffon to Arsenal before the World Cup final were just to annoy Lehmann? If so, well done, Gianluigi.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 03:02 PM on July 14, 2006
I heard Canavarro (*sob*) to Arsenal. Talk about your journalistic games of telephone...
posted by romakimmy at 03:06 PM on July 14, 2006
So, I see that you needed 46 points to avoid relegation to C last season - that means Juve are going to have to hit 75ish points, just to stay in B... Wow.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 03:14 PM on July 14, 2006
It's late so I'll leave you with Google's translation of La Repubblica's by the minute report on reactions. It's only vaguely comprehensable, but it's making me laugh for the minute. Lazio fans have called for Lotito's head on a plate. Ha.
posted by romakimmy at 03:27 PM on July 14, 2006
Now's the time for UEFA to show some spine and withdraw at least some of the Champions League and UEFA Cup places from Italy for the year. Having Chievo and Palermo in the CL is nothing short of farcical.
posted by etagloh at 03:40 PM on July 14, 2006
Congratulations to new 2006 Italian league table winners Inter! I knew Adriano would lead them to glory. "The FIGC (Italian football's governing body) must hand its European counterpart Uefa the lists of teams that will be involved in its competitions by 25 July." So this means that the appeals will have to be even faster, regardless of Berlusconi's complaints, if they are to affect any changes on the European slots. @etagloh: Agreed, UEFA should give Tottenham one of the Italian CL slots and another to Schalke04, with Chievo and Parma put in the UEFA Cup.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:44 PM on July 14, 2006
Agreed, UEFA should give Tottenham one of the Italian CL slots and another to Schalke04, with Chievo and Parma put in the UEFA Cup. Or, alternatively, give them to the actual champions of leagues that now have to pre-qualify? I call bullshit on bulking up the competitions with mid-tablers from the other big leagues.
posted by etagloh at 07:29 PM on July 14, 2006
Oh etagloh, you and Mr. Fooker with your semantics! But your point is taken ;)
posted by billsaysthis at 07:34 PM on July 14, 2006
So that's all four teams barred from European club competition, Juve, Lazio and Fiorentina sent to Serie B, with Juve suffering a point deduction of up to as many as 20 points, (seven wins = 21 points), and Milan to stay in Serie A, with a points deduction of as much as 15 points. From my understanding of what has happened, it looks like Milan got kicked a little harder than they should have, while Juve could have been hit harder without too many complaints. I'll be interested to hear RomaKimmy's thoughts though, as she's in the middle of it.