The Juventus Club Vero Amore Malta are stepping up their preparations for the visit of Luciano Moggi, the former managing director of the Italian champions who will be meeting the local Bianconeri fans today week at the clubhouse in Birkirkara.
During the event, Moggi, 76, will launch his new book, 30 sul campo, Tutta L’Altra Verita Su Calciopoli (30 on the field – the other truth about Calciopoli), written by his lawyer Maurilio Prioreschi who will also be present for the occasion.
Moggi was at the centre of the notorious 2006 scandal which rocked Italian football, resulting in Juventus being stripped of two league titles and demoted to the Serie B.
The publication deals mainly with the events that led to the Calciopoli scandal and the way proceedings were conducted during Moggi’s trial in Naples.
Joe Fenech, vice-president of the Juventus Club Vero Amore Malta, told a news conference yesterday that they were delighted that Moggi has accepted the club’s invitation to launch his book in Malta.
“It’s a great honour for the Juventus Club Vero Amore Malta to host Luciano Moggi at our club,” Fenech said.
“It will be a great opportunity for our members to meet Moggi who has already launched his new book in two other fan branches in Italy.
“He has also agreed to speak to the local media and is prepared to answer any questions reporters might want to ask him during the news conference.”
Asked whether bringing a controversial figure like Moggi to Malta could in any way stain the club’s reputation Fenech responded: “I don’t think so. Two months ago, just after Juventus won their last Scudetto, the club organised a friendly which saw the participation of club president Andrea Agnelli and other top club officials.
“Luciano Moggi was one of the guests and that shows that Juventus Calcio are fully behind their former managing director.
“Added to that we feel that not all the truth about the Calciopoli scandal has been told and it would be interesting to hear Moggi’s version of events at our club.”
Fenech said Moggi will be visiting the club around 3pm soon after his arrival in Malta today week.
The club will open at 2.30pm and paid-up members will be given priority to enter the premises. At 3pm, access to the event, which is free of charge, will be extended to all other Juventus fans.