Bologna player Daniele Portanova testified at the betting trial and strongly denied he was involved in match-fixing.
Bologna player Daniele Portanova testified at the betting trial and strongly denied he was involved in match-fixing.
The player was accused of agreeing to a fix with a betting syndicate, contacted via Andrea and Salvatore Masiello of Bari, then scrapping it after he approached captain Marco Di Vaio and was told there would be no participation.
Instead, Portanova insists he was horrified when approached by Masiello, immediately ended the conversation and warned his Bologna teammates to watch out for any suspicious approaches.
“I have always set the example for everyone, including the younger players. Now I am fighting for my career and my family, all because of something that somebody else said,” noted Portanova in this morning’s defence.
“I believe in justice and I am innocent. Until the truth emerges, I will always fight in every court available to me.
“I have nothing more to add to the testimony already given. That is the pure and simple truth.”
Bologna have already accepted a plea bargain by starting the Serie A season from -2 points.
Portanova is going forward into a full trial, but risks a three-year suspension for sporting fraud.