Italian club appeal hearings to begin on Saturday

The four Italian clubs found guilty of match-fixing will have their appeals heard on Saturday.

Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina were all relegated to Serie B by a sports court on Friday, and each club was also handed a points deduction going into the new season.

AC Milan will stay in Serie A, but are out of next season’s Champions League, and will start with a 15-point deficit next season.

All four clubs filed appeals before the deadline on Monday evening.

“The appeals process, following the sentences of the tribunal, will start on Saturday morning at 9am,” appeals court president Piero Sandulli told state broadcaster RAI.

However, by appealing, the clubs risk further punishment as prosecutor Stefano Palazzi is to resubmit his original recommendations, which called for far stronger sentences.

Palazzi had asked for Juventus to be demoted to Serie C, and AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio to be relegated to Serie B with larger points deductions.