Antonio Conte Banned From Juventus Bench For Ten Months

Antonio Conte Banned From The Bench For Ten Months

On Friday, the judges handling the Italian calcioscommesse affair ruled that Antonio Conte is banned from the bench for ten months. The Juventus manager will still be allowed to train his squad, but will not be able to directly manage the team during matches. The sentence is a result of Conte's role in the latest betting scandal, finding him guilty of failing to report attempted sported fraud while coach of Siena in the 2010-2011 season.

Earlier in the week, Conte announced that if he was to be banned for such a long period of time, he would resign from his position with the Old Lady. However, no sign of this has reached the media thus far, and the club are continuing to back their manager. But with Juventus being Juventus, it's almost certain we can expect a media blackout to protest the proclamation of Conte's guilt.

With their manager banned for ten months, it will be interesting to see how last year's scudetto winners manage this season. Assistant coach Angelo Alessio has also been banned, for eight months. Meanwhile, two Juventus players, Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe, were cleared of wrongdoing.

Siena Accept Plea Bargain, Start Season With Six Point Penalty

On Monday, Siena had their first plea bargain rejected in the trial of the latest Italian betting scandal, or, as it's commonly being called, calcioscommesse. The first deal, for a five-point penalty and pay a €40,000 fine, was rejected by the judges for not being sufficient for the crime. Then Siena proposed a six-point penalty and €100,000 fine, which was accepted.

And so the robur, in punishment for individuals having knowledge of sporting fraud, will begin their second season in Serie A with negative six points. Last season, Siena finished 14th, with 44 points. 44 - 6 would have left them with 38 points, still two points clear of Lecce and relegation.

Should Sampdoria, Torino or Pescara suffer as much as Cesena last season, or Bari the one before that, Siena won't have to worry much. And then there's Atalanta last year, who took a deduction in points and still managed to finish 12th. Take heart, Siena supporters!

Antonio Conte Plea Bargain Rejected, Juventus Coach Will Have To Stand Trial

Current Juventus and ex-Siena coach Antonio Conte had his plea bargain rejected by the FIGC on Monday. Conte faces charges of failing to report attempted sported fraud while coach of Siena in the 2010-2011 season. The current face of the Old Lady has always maintained his innocence, but rather than face the possibility of a year's ban from football, he put forth a plea bargain: a three-month suspension and €200,000 fine.

Surprisingly enough, the judges rejected this proposal, stating that the punishment was not suited to the crime. They also turned down Siena's plea bargain of a five point deduction and €40,000 fine.

Juventus, obviously not pleased with the idea of going without their coach for a year, is once again in an uproar over a decision made by an Italian court. They want the entire trial thrown out, stating that the judges have already made up their minds on Conte's guilt.

Siena Plea Bargain Rejected; Torino and Varese Receive One-Point Penalties

The trial in the latest calcio betting scandal kicked off today in Italy, with plea bargains aplenty. Torino and Varese were successful in their attempt: il granata will begin the Serie A season a point in the red, while the leopardi will start Serie B in the same manner.

Siena, however, were not so successful in their negotiations with FIGC. Fresh from Serie B last season, the robur managed a respectable 14th place finish. Eager to not find themselves with too steep a mountain to climb in the upcoming season, Siena offered to accept a five-point penalty and pay a €40,000 fine. Unfortunately for the club, the judges decided the proposal was not suitable to the crime -- of individuals connected to the team having knowledge of sporting fraud yet not reporting it -- and turned it down.

The bench also turned down plea bargains from various members of the coaching staffs of Juventus, Siena and Albinoleffe.

Hearings Begin In Latest Italian Betting Scandal

Investigations into the most recent Italian football scandal, centered on Bari and Cremona, gathered steam on Thursday when the FIGC released a list of individuals and clubs facing charges.

Antonio Conte Faces Charges Of Failing To Report Match Fixing

Juventus boss Antonio Conte will stand trial for charges that he allegedly knew about match fixing and failed to report it when in charge at Siena.