The offending matches are Novara-Siena 2-2 on 30 April 2011 and AlbinoLeffe-Siena 1-0 on 29 May of the same year. It being understood that the allegations come only from the report of the former player of the Tuscan team, Filippo Carobbio, on the basis of statements made to the Cremona prosecutor's office on 29 February, and that for now there are no actions by the Prosecutor's Office itself (which has been investigating football betting for a year), the news is casting more than a shadow on the current coach of the Italian champion Juventus, Antonio Conte, at the time of the Siena coaching events.
According to the interrogation of the former Siena midfielder, it would no longer be a question of a simple omitted complaint, as initially emerged from indiscretions, but of a possible creepy accusation: double offense in sporting competitions. No problem for Juventus, given that Conte was precisely at the time of the events on the Tuscan bench (which he led to Serie A), even if it is very likely that the story will have personal consequences for the Apulian coach at a sporting level as well as the ordinary judiciary. And therefore with possible referral and possible disqualification, which would put an end to his winning cycle - which has just begun - at the helm of the Old Lady.
But let's proceed in order. The first call into question comes for the challenge played on 30 April 2011. Here is what Carobbio has recorded: “There was an agreement to draw – declared the footballer to the Cremonese prosecutors – and in fact we talked about it during the technical meeting. We were all aware of the agreed outcome, especially in order to behave accordingly during the challenge. The coach himself, Antonio Conte, told us that we could rest assured that we had reached an agreement with Novara. I'm not sure who agreed first, but Drascek came to our retreat and talked about it with Vitiello. That was the initial contact, but then it was communicated to the whole team and I discussed it on the pitch before the match with Bertani and Gheller, Novara players".
The reconstruction of the second suspect match is even more detailed. "At the end of Siena-AlbinoLeffe on 8 January 2011 - these were Carobbio's words to the Cremona prosecutor -, the assistant coach, Stellini, asked me and Terzi to contact some of the opponents to make arrangements for the return match, in order to leave the points to those who need them most. I spoke about it with Garlini, a senator from AlbinoLeffe, and Terzi who contacted Bombardini, both showing their availability. In the late afternoon, or in the evening, of the day before the AlbinoLeffe-Siena race on May 29, there was another meeting outside our retreat hotel at the Park hotel in Stezzano, in the province of Bergamo. Sala, Passoni and Poloni came, the latter a technical collaborator of AlbinoLeffe, who met with me, Nando Coppola and another from Siena that I don't remember. On that occasion we agreed to give points to AlbinoLeffe who needed them to mathematically go to the playouts, but we asked to limit the defeat to just one goal difference, possibly 1-0. Both to try to maintain the best defense and to avoid clamor for a striking result. During the week there was a lot of talk between clubs, players and coaches on the agreement reached. Someone wanted to win, in the hope of finishing first and achieving the expected prize. But in the end we all agreed, team and coach, to let AlbinoLeffe win”.
It should be clarified, once again, that the accusations, although very heavy, have not yet found any confirmation from the investigators. Much more feedback will be needed, on which the magistrates are working. Juventus' position is untouchable, but that of its coach (who a few months ago, after the first rumors, defined the matter as "non-news"), is yet to be verified.
