The Gazzetta dello Sport believe that Antonio Conte is almost certainly going to be handed an initial 10-month ban from football for his alleged role in the betting scandal.
The Gazzetta dello Sport believe that Antonio Conte is almost certainly going to be handed an initial 10-month ban from football for his alleged role in the betting scandal.
The Coach is accused of being aware of two attempted fixes in Serie B games when in charge of Siena. Having seen an initial plea bargain of a three-month ban rejected by the Discipline Commission, reports earlier this week suggested that he could be hit with a subsequent 10-month ban.
That belief remains the case, as the Commission meets today to decide their sentences for those involved. The 10-month ban being reported by the Gazzetta dello Sport this afternoon as almost certain is five less than prosecutor Stefano Palazzi first suggested and would still be subject to Conte appealing it.
Whilst the Commission are understood to be considering Filippo Carobbio and Carlo Gervasoni’s testaments as reliable, which is why Conte faces this ban, the Gazzetta dello Sport also believe that they do not hold Andrea Masiello’s declarations in the same light.
If this is true then Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe would see charges against them dropped. Bonucci is facing a charge of direct involvement in an attempted fix in May 2010, whilst at Bari, and a possible three-year, six-month ban. Pepe is accused of knowing about this same fix, whilst an Udinese player and faces a possible 12-month ban.
The Discipline Commission will make public their recommended punishments for those involved in the case on Thursday morning, from which point affected parties will have five days to prepare an appeal.
Yesterday, reports suggested that any player banned as a result of the trial will have to forego wages. There are also persistent rumours that Conte has fallen out with Juventus over the matter and that if he faces the ban, he will resign his position as Coach after this weekend’s Supercoppa Italiana against Napoli.