THE lawyer representing Juventus at the appeals trial in Italy’s match-fixing scandal pleaded for leniency yesterday, saying that last week’s decision by a sports tribunal to relegate the club to the second division with a 30-point penalty would have “devastating consequences”.

Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli reacted angrily and vowed to appeal against the club’s relegation following the investigation into match-fixing.

AN Italian sports tribunal announced guilty verdicts against four top Serie A clubs and various prominent soccer officials at the end of a trial into match-fixing on Friday.

FIRST the feast, now the reckoning.

Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has announced his club will appeal against the punishment handed out following the investigation into match-fixing.

Juventus, Lazio, and Fiorentina have been relegated from Serie A as a result of the match-fixing scandal.

Serie A clubs Juventus, Fiorentina, Lazio and AC Milan look set to discover their fate after 6pm Irish time today in Rome where a trial on match-fixing is reaching its climax.

AN event without precedent in world football begins today, when the Olympic Stadium in Rome is turned into a court of justice.

Serie A champions Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio were this evening named as the four teams who will face a sports court over allegations of corruption in Italian football.

JUVENTUS Football Club SpA shares slid yesterday on concern that Italy’s most successful soccer team may be dropped from the country’s premier league, putting at risk €600 million in television and sponsorship contracts following corruption allegations.

JUVENTUS won their 29th Italian league title with a 2-0 final day victory over Reggina yesterday, assuring the club of a second successive ‘Scudetto’.

THE scandal threatening to bring Italian football to its knees is now starting to affect the national team’s World Cup preparations, according to the Italian press.

HARRY REDKNAPP believes he remains the front-runner to be named Portsmouth’s new manager.

PATRICK VIEIRA last night admitted missing out on a Champions League triumph was the biggest regret of his nine glorious years with Arsenal.

Juventus will unveil new signing Patrick Vieira this morning.

Juventus expect to sign Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira this afternoon, one of the club’s key officials today confirmed.

JUVENTUS admit they still hope to convince Arsenal to sell French midfielder Patrick Vieira.

Juventus admit they still hope to convince Arsenal to sell French midfielder Patrick Vieira.

Juventus general director Luciano Moggi has revealed they came very close to signing striker Adrian Mutu last summer.

David Beckham’s talents have been questioned by Juventus general director Luciano Moggi.

Real Madrid are about to sign Zinedine Zidane in a world-record £46m deal, according to Spanish media reports.

Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira has been linked with a summer move to Italian giants Juventus.