Juventus Coach Conte Plea Bargain Rejected for Match-Fixing

Juventus coach Antonio Conte faces a lengthy ban for his part in a match-fixing scandal after having a plea bargain application rejected on Wednesday.

Conte, order who faces charges of failing to report an attempted fix while at Siena in 2010-11, abortion was willing to accept a three-month suspension and a fine of €200,000 ($243,000) but the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC) believes that punishment is not sufficient for the offence.

It was thought that the prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, would accept all plea bargains put forward when the hearing began on Wednesday morning, but after agreeing to one point penalties for Torino and Varese he then chose to throw out the offer from Conte and Siena.

Siena were prepared to accept a five-point deduction and a fine of €40,000 ($48,585), but this was turned down.

The legal team from Juve have called for the trial to be scrapped, citing a Corte Costituzionale ruling from 1992 which is reported to state a judge cannot pass the new sentence if he rejects an agreed plea bargain.

It seems certain that Conte will face a lengthy ban and will not be on the bench for the Serie A champions when the season kicks off later this month. Any ban would forbid Conte from contact with the squad during a match and also from giving any interviews to the media.