Italian season begins with controversy

Italian Soccer Federation orders 12 teams and 33 people to face sporting tribunal over betting and fixing

The Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) ordered 33 people and 12 clubs to face a sporting tribunal over allegations of illegal betting and match-fixing in Serie A and lower division games earlier this week. The news represented a serious blow for Italy's favourite sport, which has been overshadowed by a string of financial and legal scandals in recent seasons. Among the clubs accused of "illicit sporting behaviour" were Sampdoria, Chievo, Siena and Modena, who were all in Serie A last season. Modena were eventually relegated.
Sampdoria defender Stefano Bettarini, who has played for Italy, and Modena midfielder Antonio Marasco also faced charges of illicit sporting behaviour. All those named by the FIGC have denied wrongdoing.
A spokesman for the FIGC said the sporting tribunal would meet some time after mid August and would reach a verdict before the Serie A season kicks off on September 12.
If found guilty, clubs could be fined, have points docked or be relegated. Players, coaches and club executives faced sanctions ranging from fines to bans from professional soccer.
The FIGC launched its investigation after Naples-based anti-mafia police announced they were looking into suspected match-fixing relating to games in Serie A, B and C.
A source close to the investigation said in May that they had telephone evidence indicating that players were involved with illegal betting activities on specific games.
Naples police are continuing their probe, working separately from the FIGC.
Among the suspect results cited by FIGC this week were a 1-0 victory for Modena over Sampdoria on April 25, this year, a 2-0 victory for Chievo over Modena on May 2 and a 1-1 draw between Siena and Chievo on March 21.
"That was a real game," Siena chairman Paolo De Luca told ANSA news agency on Monday. "If Chievo and Siena fixed that game then all the players deserve an Oscar," he added.
FIGC rules prevent players or officials from taking part in any form of gambling on games, even through the official state monopoly Totocalcio.
Italian soccer was hit by a gambling and match-fixing scandal in the early 1980s and there have been several smaller cases since. A number of unrelated investigations into Italian soccer are currently underway, focusing on false accounting and suspicion of fraud.
Italian fans will have to wait until September 12 for the new Serie A season to get underway. The Italian federation has delayed the start of the new season until after the soccer tournament of this summer's Olympics and the Azzurri's first pair of World Cup qualifying matches in early September.
In the meantime, English premiership starts this weekend with an explosive match up between Chelsea and Manchester United. Ambitious Chelsea, with Champions League-winning manager Jose Mourinho at the helm, believe they can capture their first league title for 50 years this season.
The Portuguese coach, who replaced sacked Italian Claudio Ranieri in June, has put his reputation on the line by accepting billionaire owner Roman Abramovich's challenge of bringing trophies to Stamford Bridge.
But Mourinho, who took Porto to UEFA Cup and Champions League victory in successive seasons, is nothing if not supremely confident.
"In Portugal if you win you are a god, if you lose you are sacked," he said last month. "I want to win... and bring fans the success they have waited for so long."
Ranieri took Chelsea to runners-up spot in the league and the Champions League semi-finals but it was not good enough for their Russian owner who wants a return on the 210 million pounds spent on players since he arrived 13 months ago.
Mourinho has swept out the older generation in favour of youth. Gone are ageing captain Marcel Desailly and his fellow Frenchman Emmanuel Petit as well as Dutchmen Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mario Melchiot.
Argentines Hernan Crespo and Juan Sebastian Veron, who never settled at Chelsea, have returned to Italy on loan and 24-year-old England defender John Terry is now captain.
Mourinho has also brought a Portuguese flavour to the side, raiding his former club Porto for 26-year-old central defender Ricardo Carvalho, who played so impressively during Euro 2004, as well as Paulo Ferreira, 25, at right back.
Developing midfielder Tiago Mendes, 23, was also snapped up from Benfica.
Up front 25-year-old Serbian Mateja Kezman and Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba have joined established striker Eidur Gudjohnsen and Romania's Adrian Mutu, who nearly left for a season-long loan at Juventus.
After pre-season games in the United States, winning 4-2 against Celtic and 3-0 against Roma before losing 3-2 to AC Milan, Mourinho said confidence was high among the strikers as all except the injured Mutu scored at least two goals.
A 3-0 home win in their final pre-season friendly against Real Zaragoza in a tribute match for former crowd favourite Gianfranco Zola bodes well for the new campaign.
Mourinho is also incorporating 20-year-old Dutch winger Arjen Robben and Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech, 22, who were bought by Chelsea in mid-season but only joined the club after Euro 2004, where they put in fine performances.
England midfielder Frank Lampard, Chelsea's player of the year last season when he started nearly every game, said the new signings had been well thought out.
It has been noted that there is a freshness about the team with Mourinho meticulous and organized in his coaching.
Chelsea kick off the season this Sunday at home to Manchester United, the importance of which Mourinho is keen to play down.
"It's only three points. It's one of dozens of matches we have to play during the season," he said after the U.S. trip, adding that his side would improve as the season progresses and the new players become accustomed to English soccer.
And last weekend, Chelsea right back Paulo Ferreira set up two goals to help his new team to a comfortable 3-0 win over Real Zaragoza in their final pre-season friendly, which doubled as former striker Gianfranco Zola's farewell game.
Zola left Chelsea to return to his homeland of Sardinia with Cagliari at the end of the 2002-03 season just as billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich bought the west London club.
The popular Italian never had a proper chance to say goodbye to the Chelsea fans who adored him and so, although a year late, Sunday's game was arranged for his final farewell.
Zola came on to a standing ovation with half an hour left and was later given the captain's armband as he showed flashes of the skill that wowed English crowds for seven seasons in which he scored 80 goals and helped the club win six trophies.
The team has been transformed since the Italian last played at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea's record signing Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba was on hand to tap in after eight minutes when he met Ferreira's right wing cross at the far post.
Zaragoza centre back Gabriel Milito then scored an own goal at the start of the second half, stretching to clear after Ferreira had again found space on the right to cross.
Substitute Scott Parker made it 3-0 with 10 minutes left after Mateja Kezman broke free on the left as Chelsea eased to victory in Jose Mourinho's first home game ahead of the premier league kick off with the visit of Manchester United this Sunday.
Zaragoza, who beat Real Madrid to win the Spanish cup last season, lacked bite up front and were constantly on the back foot with new Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and his replacement Carlo Cudicini largely untroubled.

Publication Date: 2004-08-15
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=4285