Juventus confident of positive
appeal verdict
ROME, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli
said on Wednesday he was confident the club would have a
match-fixing sentence reduced on appeal.
'We expect a substantial reduction of the penalty,' Gigli told
reporters after a two-hour appeals hearing at Italy's sports
governing body CONI.
In July a sports tribunal stripped Juventus of their last two Serie
A titles, sent them down to the second division Serie B, and gave
them a 17 points penalty - something Gigli said could be eased if
not entirely annulled.
Juventus, whose former general manager Luciano Moggi was at the
centre of the scandal, have complained they have been punished much
more severely than the four other clubs implicated.
Juve were the only team of the five involved in the affair to be
relegated from the top flight. AC Milan began the Serie A season
with an eight-point penalty, Fiorentina began on minus 19 points
with Lazio on minus 11. Reggina, the fifth top flight team
embroiled in the scandal, were docked 15 points.
'The annulment of 17 penalty points? That's just a hope,' Gigli was
quoted as saying on the website of Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
A decision is expected by Thursday at the latest.
hope to see Juventus Back In Serie B next season