Lazio chief pleads innocence

It was the turn of Lazio president Claudio Lotito to plead his innocence in the Italian match-fixing trial today.

Former Juventus chief executive Antonio Giraudo and Fiorentina owner Diego della Valle argued their case yesterday, but Lotito’s representatives went for a different tack.

Yesterday, Juventus appealed for a reduction to their punishment – an enforced relegation to at least the third division and a points deduction next season.

Juve’s defence lawyer Cesare Zaccone said “an acceptable punishment would be (relegation to) Serie B with a points deduction”, but this has been interpreted as an acceptance of guilt, and Lazio will not be following suit.

“We are calling for complete acquittal, both for the club and for the president,” explained Lotito’s advocate Gian Michele Gentile before chief prosecutor Cesare Ruperto.

“There is no wrongdoing, Lotito didn’t even have (former FIGC president Franco) Carraro’s telephone number.

“We will not be doing what Juve are doing because we have nothing to admit since we are absolutely innocent,” he added.

The same line is being taken by AC Milan and Fiorentina – the other two teams in the dock – who are unwilling to accept the punishment in any form.

“We are shocked by the recommendations of the federal prosecutor of sanctions which do not correspond to the facts,” said Milan’s advocate, Leonardo Cantamessa.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina’s defence lawyer Giuseppe Morbidelli asked for his clients to be “released” in a defence file handed to the prosecutors.

Pierluigi Pairetto, the man who designated which referees officiated at which Serie A games and is alleged to have been influenced in his decision-making by former Juve general manager Luciano Moggi, also laid down his defence on Thursday.

“Only Houdini would be able to fiddle the choice of referee,” joked his advocate Giorgio Merlone.

Pairetto faces a five-year ban and a fine of 5,000 euros (£3,500) if proved guilty of fixing the choice of referees.

The trial, which is due to conclude this weekend, will see a total of 26 individuals and four clubs in the dock.

Stefano Palazzi, the federal prosecutor at the trial, has recommended that Juve be relegated to at least Serie C and handed a six-point penalty, with Fiorentina, Lazio and Milan demoted to Serie B with varying point deductions.