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Italy coach Conte facing possible suspended sentence

April 5, 2016

Italian prosecutors have called for a suspended sentence to be handed down to the coach of the country's national football team over allegations of sporting fraud. Antonio Conte has denied any wrongdoing.

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Wettskandal in Italien Antonio Conte
Image: dapd

In addition to the six-month suspended sentence, the prosecutors in the northern city of Cremona called on the court to impose an 8,000-euro ($9090) on Antonio Conte, who is to leave the Italian national team after this summer's Euro 2016 tournament and join English Premier League side Chelsea. The court is expected to hand down its verdict before the start of the tournament, which kicks off on June 10.

The 46-year-old Conte stands accused of having known about and failing to report an attempt to fix a 2011 Serie B match between his team at the time, Siena, and Albino Leffe. He has denied any wrongdoing, and last month he applied for summary judgment in the trial, in the hope that he would be acquitted before this summer's tournament.

The alleged attempt to fix the Siena match is part of a corruption probe involving more than 100 other footballers and club officials from Italy's three professional leagues.

In 2012, when Conte was at Juventus, the Italian FA imposed a 10-month ban on him over the affair, but this was reduced to four months on appeal.

Tuesday's development comes a day after Chelsea announced that Conte would take over at Stamford Bridge ahead of next season. Conte, who guided Juventus to three straight Serie A titles between 2012 and 2014, is to succeed Guus Hiddink, who was appointed interim bench boss after Jose Mourinho was sacked back in December.

pfd/rd (dpa, AFP)