Italy boss Antonio Conte set to assume Chelsea reins free from sporting fraud shadow
Incoming Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has been acquitted of charges relating to sporting fraud and cleared of any involvement in a 2011 match-fixing scandal by an Italian court.
Italy boss Conte, who will lead the Azzurri at this summer’s European Championship which starts on 10 June, stood accused of failing to report his knowledge of match-fixing while in charge of Serie B outfit Siena.
The 46-year-old served a four-match ban relating to the incident in 2012 but has continued to deny any wrongdoing, while prosectors had asked for Conte to be handed a suspended six-month prison term and fined Є8,000.
But during yesterday’s preliminary hearing, judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi delivered his verdict and determined that the allegations were “baseless”, allowing Conte to focus on his swansong with Italy before arriving at Chelsea post-Euro 2016.
“Antonio is relived and very happy,” said the former Juventus manager’s lawyer Leonardo Cammarata. “It has been a tough time for him lasting four years. It is very difficult for any person to be on trial for four years, worried about the outcome.
“A guilty verdict before the European Championship and his adventure at Chelsea would have been tragic for his reputation. Now he can focus on football.”
Angelo Alessio, Conte’s ex-assistant at Siena and Juventus as well as his current deputy with Italy, was also cleared, while Cammarata has said he does not expect the prosecution to appeal the verdict.
Conte won three successive Serie A titles with Juventus and will begin a three-year contract at Stamford Bridge at the conclusion of Italy’s Euro 2016 participation.