Conte dismisses betting suspicions

Juventus coach Antonio Conte insisted he is unconcerned about press reports he was involved in match-fixing, claiming he had expected people to try to disrupt his team’s title run-in.

Conte woke up to newspaper reports that a player he coached at Siena last season has claimed he was aware of match-fixing at the club related to illegal sports betting.

Filippo Carobbio allegedly told investigators that Conte was complicit in an attempt to fix a match at the end of last season, after Siena had already secured promotion to Serie A.

But Conte has dismissed the claims as nothing other than an attempt to unsettle Juve in their battle with Milan for the scudetto crown.

“I want to make something clear, I’m here to talk about Juve-Roma, a vital match if we want to continue our dream,” Conte said at yesterday’s pre-match press conference ahead of today’s visit of Roma.

“But it’s inevitable that I also read the newspapers and with regards to what Carobbio said, I have little to add.

“There’s an investigation, I’m very calm and have full faith in the institutions. No-one has called me up until now and when they do I will have the pleasure of seeing those people and answering their questions.”

Asked directly if these stories could destabilise the club, Conte was adamant.

“Not even in our thoughts, it triples our resolve, the fire in our bellies and our desire to achieve something important.

“It happens that everything and more comes from outside but that’s part of the game, it just increases our determination.”

Serie A

Chievo 0
Udinese 0

Att: 11,000.
Missed penalty: Thereau (C) 43.

Parma 3
Giovinco 24; Floccari 73 pen; Okaka 90 pen;
Cagliari 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 13,000.

Catania 2
Gomez 31; Seymour 85;
Atalanta 0

HT: 1-0. Att: 16,000.

Napoli 2
Cavani 21; Cannavaro 37;
Novara 0

HT: 2-0. Att: 42,000.

Standings

Playing today – 15.00
Cesena vs Palermo (1-0)
Fiorentina vs Inter (0-2) - 12.30
Genoa vs Siena (2-0)
Juventus vs Roma (1-1) - 20.45
Lazio vs Lecce (3-2)
Milan vs Bologna (2-2)

Note: In brackets results first round.

Next fixtures
Tuesday: 18.30 Atalanta vs Chievo; Cagliari vs Catania.
Wednesday: 12.30 Novara vs Lazio. 15.00 Lecce vs Napoli; Palermo vs Parma; Roma vs Fiorentina; Siena vs Bologna; Udinese vs Inter. 18.00 Milan vs Genoa; Cesena vs Juventus.

Serie B
AlbinoLeffe 1 - Juve Stabia 2
Ascoli 3 - Brescia 1
Bari 0 - Torino 0
Crotone 3 - Verona 1
Empoli 1 - Modena 3
Nocerina 0 - Reggina 4
Sassuolo 0 - Gubbio 2
Vicenza 1 - Sampdoria 1

Tomorrow
Varese vs Grosseto - 20.45

Tuesday
Livorno vs Cittadella - 18.00

Standings: Torino 67; Verona 66; Pescara 65; Sassuolo 64; Varese, Padova 56; Sampdoria 55; Brescia 53; Juve Stabia (-4) 52; Reggina 51; Bari (-6), Modena 45; Grosseto, Crotone (-2) 43; Cittadella 41; Livorno, Ascoli (-7) 38; Empoli, Vicenza 34; Nocerina, Gubbio 31; AlbinoLeffe 25.