Italian players charged after match-fixing probe

Five players have been charged over alleged match-fixing in last season's home and away Serie A fixtures between Atalanta and relegated Livorno, Italy's football federation (FIGC) said yesterday.

Atalanta's Gian Paolo Bellini and former Livorno captain David Balleri have been charged with seeking to fix the results of the games on Dec. 23, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and May 4, which Atalanta won 3-2, the FIGC said.

Livorno brothers Emanuele and Antonio Filippini, along with team-mate Alessandro Grandoni, have also been reported by the federation's prosecutor to the national disciplinary commission for a failure to inform the authorities about the events.