Italy's match-fixing trial resumed yesterday with Fiorentina owner Diego Della Valle claiming his club were victims of a system rather than part of it.

Champions Juventus are battling to avoid relegation to the third division at Italy's biggest sporting trial, while three other clubs - Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio - are fighting to stay in the top Serie A.

All are charged with sporting fraud. The tribunal returned to work the morning after Italy's national team dramatically reached the World Cup final by defeating hosts Germany in Dortmund.

"I think we all experienced a lot of joy last night, let's hope it continues," tribunal president Cesare Ruperto said as he opened proceedings.

"Here, we will continue to try to do our job as well as we can. That way it will be a victory for everyone."

Della Valle, one of 26 officials also facing charges in Rome's Olympic Stadium, said Fiorentina had been mistreated by referees.

"We thought that maybe the referees' errors were down to psychological pressures. We didn't know there was a system," he said.

"Fiorentina were victims of this system."

Della Valle, who bought Fiorentina in August 2002 when it was languishing in Italy's fourth division after going bankrupt, faces a charge of sporting fraud for conspiring with FIGC officials to rig matches.

FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi has asked the tribunal to ban Della Valle from football for five years.

The charge against Della Valle revolves around a meeting he had with former FIGC official Paolo Bergamo, who conducted the draw that assigned referees to Serie A matches during the 2004-05 season - when the club narrowly avoided relegation.