The mess that is Italian football

Crocker

News & Rumors Moderator

The biggest scandel to hit football in years is happening in Italy, with 4 of the countries top clubs in serious trouble. A.C Milan, Foiorentina and Lazio face relegation to Serie B and Juventus could be n the way to Serie C.

How do you guys view the crisis?

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I know very little about it, just heard that they have payed off refs or something lik that and if it happend in the U.S., most likely anyone involved would never play, coach, own.. anything in that sport ever again.. The team would live on but under new ownership..

So I'm not sure how stiff the penalties are these clubs are getting but I do know that one of the coaches just signed with Real Madrid.. so I guess they didn't care much about the scandal..

K Jay

I seriously can't believe it, especially with that coach throwing "himself" out of the window too. Seriously I keep expecting someone to get an offer they could'nt refuse. It's like frikken Dream Team, I think Linda Block has something to do with it.

I had a sig, once.

Mr. WikipediaSpamBot

Can someone please explain the situation to me? I haven't heard anything about this but i'm interested based on what Nicky said.

K Jay

Condensed story, some top league Italian teams have very close contact with the officiating referees in Serie A. Juventus are the most prestigous of these and there have been rumours and allegeations that they have used these contacts to change the way certain games are officiated. This is'nt as simple as paying the ref off, more a we want things done this way in this game to "favour" rather than gift a team a win. On the same score but to a lesser effect Lazio, Ac Milan and Fiorentina are also implicated. The whole affair has gone to a high level court in Italy that has recommended that Juventus be relegated two divisions, Lazio and Fiorentina to be relegated one division and start the next season on -15 points (equiv. to 5 wins in a 38 game season) and AC Milan be relegated one division and start -3 points (1 win). The football authorities in Italy are yet to act on the situation. It is key to note that 13 of the 23 players in the Italian national side that has made it to the world cup final play for these teams so as you can imagine this could cause a surge in transfers in the european game. Also to add a mafioso twist to the story Juve's General Manager took a suicide leap from 5 floors up during the trial holding a wreath of flowers, he is currently critical in hospital. So as you can see, pretty fucked up.

I had a sig, once.

Mikk

WC's Sexy Beast

Or even shorter version, Match Fixing.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Now, if these teams are forced to play in the minors (that's what it is, right?), then what happens to all the marque players for these teams? Do they hve to play in the minors or can they opt out of their contract?

Mikk

WC's Sexy Beast

I'm guessing clubs will come in for them if they are that big.

K Jay

Some will have clauses in their contracts that state if their club are not in Serie A they can be transferred for a set amount. Others will just use press and agents to get transferred. Others (that are older) will enjoy playing butchers, bakers and candlestickmakers on £100,000 per week.

I had a sig, once.

Crocker

News & Rumors Moderator

BREAKING NEWS

Juventus have been hit with further punishment, they have been forced to name Mick McCarthy as the new manager