drunken_master
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Juventus demoted after match-fixing verdictsItalian club Juventus was demoted to the Second Division for match-fixing by a sports tribunal on Friday and stripped of its last two Serie A titles, one of several sanctions aimed at cleaning up the scandal-marred game as the nation celebrates its fourth World Cup title.
Lazio and Fiorentina also were demoted to Serie B, and AC Milan was spared demotion but given a 15-point penalty and won't play in any European competition this season.
The toughest penalties meted out to individuals were against former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi and former Juventus chief executive Antonio Giraudo, who received the maximum five-year ban for match-fixing and disloyalty, with a recommendation to the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) to make it a lifetime ban.
The pair, who resigned in May along with the club's entire board, were accused of creating a network of contacts with FIGC officials to influence refereeing assignments and get players yellow-carded — allegations that are at the heart of the scandal.
Of the 26 officials or referees accused in the scandal, 19 received punishment ranging from the maximum five-year ban to a warning; five were acquitted; and two were banned for life without prosecution because they resigned before being charged.
Juventus also was penalized 30 points, making its return to Serie A even more difficult and risking valuable sponsorship and broadcast rights tied to its competing in the First Division.
Fiorentina was penalized 12 points and Lazio seven.
Its time for big guns to go shopping in Italy now while stock lasts... 
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drunken_master
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Barca set to sign Juventus duo
European champions Barcelona are set to sign Juventus defenders Lilian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta, according to Spanish newspaper reports on Thursday.
Catalonian newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported: "Barca clinches the services of Thuram and Zambrotta", while Marca added: "Thuram is virtually signed" and said the defender was honoured Barca wanted to buy him.
Barcelona sporting director Aitor Begiristain said he hoped to be able to announce the signings "before Monday", with Mundo Deportivo claiming Zambrotta will cost 14 million euros and Thuram five million euros.
Zambrotta is expected to sign a four-year contract, while Thuram's personal terms will be agreed when he returns from a holiday in South Africa.
The loss of Thuram and Zambrotta would be another blow to crisis-torn Juventus, who on Wednesday sold Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro and Brazilian midfielder Emerson to Spanish club Real Madrid.
Juventus have been forced to listen to offers for their star players after the Turin club were relegated to Serie B last week for their part in the match-fixing scandals which have rocked Italian football.
4 players gone already.......
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drunken_master
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Buffon, Nedved stick with Juve
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Czech Republic midfielder Pavel Nedved on Wednesday pledged to stay with Juventus despite the crisis-torn club's relegation to Serie B.
Juve's demotion and 30-point deduction, which they were handed last week for their part in the Italian match-fixing scandals, led on Wednesday to the departure of World Cup winning skipper Fabio Cannavaro and Brazilian midfielder Emerson to Real Madrid.
But Buffon, 28, and influential playmaker Nedved have both indicated they are willing to stay and help the beleaguered Turin club.
Buffon's agent Silvano Martina said: "Gigi is staying with Juventus.
"He?s ready to play in Serie B. There was a bid from Roma to take him on loan but Juve didn?t consider it.
"The club said what any club would have, Buffon is an international and they could sell him for a vast fee, there?s no reason to loan him."
The club's talismanic striker Alessandro Del Piero had already said he does not want to leave and former Lazio star Nedved is also expected to stay.
Juventus sporting director Alessio Secco said: "Del Piero has told me that he and Nedved will definitely remain at the club."
Meanwhile, Inter Milan may be awarded the 2006 Serie A title, even though they finished third last season.
It had initially been thought that the championship would be declared void, but reports in Italy suggest Inter could now be handed the Scudetto.
Inter are so confident of being given the trophy that they have apparently prepared a space on the team's shirts to allow the 'victory' to be recorded.
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