A court in Italy has ordered Antonio Conte to stand trial to answer accusations of sporting fraud as part of a wider investigation into match-fixing.
The Italy head coach w
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as hit with a four-month ban in 2012 after failing to report alleged manipulating of results in two matches during his time as Siena coach in the 2010-11 season.
The Court of Cremona has now requested the 45-year-old take the stand as part of a match-fixing probe, a spokesperson for the Italian FA (FIGC) confirmed to Perform.
Reports in Italy suggested Conte would be asked to stand trial, and that he could even resign as Italy boss in an attempt to clear his name, although FIGC president Carlo Tavecchio denied those claims last week.
During his time as Juventus coach, C…
Barcelona defender Marc Bartra has rubbished suggestions he is contemplating a move to Napoli reiterating his focus on becoming a Camp Nou regular.
The Barca youth product has not been a consistent starter for the senior side since making his debut in 2010 but made 25 appearances under Luis Enrique last term.
Despite helping Barca to La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League titles, Bartra has been heavily linked with Serie A side Napoli in recent weeks.
However, the 24-year-old insists his future lies at Camp Nou, telling reporters: I m not listening to offers.
My head is focused 100 per cent on Barcelona.
Every year people say the same things, but staying at Barca was the only thing on my mind.
I have it all here. Feeling impo…
Chievo have completed the signing of former Juventus winger Simone Pepe on a free transfer.
Pepe spent the past five seasons with Juve after joining from Udinese in 2010, and he has won four Serie A titles and the Coppa Italia during his time in Turin.
However, the 31-year-old has been plagued by injuries in recent years and has made just 14 league appearances in the past three seasons.
The Italy international, who has 23 caps for his country, will now try and rebuild his career with Chievo.
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Javier Zanetti is optimistic about what lies ahead for Inter and believes that Mauro Icardi can go on to achieve great things with the club.
The Argentine called time on a trophy-laden 19-year affair with the Italian giants in 2014 and had his number-four jersey retired as a mark of respect for his contribution.
Following his retirement, Zanetti was appointed as Inter s vice-president but in their first season without him on the pitch, the club failed to qualify for European competition.
However, the 42-year-old believes the conditions for progression are in place at San Siro.
It s a new group because so many players have arrived, and I think they understand what it means to wear the Inter shirt. We hope to continue like this, Zanetti said at an event pr…
Germany head coach Joachim Low was left to rue his side s unforced errors as their 22-game unbeaten run came to an end against Brazil at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
The game marked the first senior meeting between the heavyweights since a remarkable World Cup semi-final in 2014 when Germany thumped the stunned hosts Brazil 7-1 in Belo Horizonte.
Low s side did not come close to replicating that performance, though, and failed to recover from Gabriel Jesus solitary first-half goal for Tite s impressive men.
Speaking after the game, Low told ZDF: It wasn t a good performance, everyone had problems. We made too many unforced errors and made Brazil stronger.
These friendly games are good to try things, the result is not that decisive. The problem is that …
Ansu Fati was the subject of a rejected €150million bid from an unnamed Premier League club that would have helped solve Barcelona s financial woes, former president Josep Maria Bartomeu has claimed.
The money worries at the troubled LaLiga giants have been laid bare over the past year, with the club having seen huge streams of revenue lost amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It was the money crisis that ultimately led to Los Cules legend Lionel Messi departing on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, while several other big earners agreed to take a pay cut to help alleviate the cash-flow issues.
Bartomeu stepped down in October 2020 following a vote of no confidence, while it has been reported Barca s debts are at the €1.35billion mark.
The ex-president…
Eintracht Frankfurt hope returning to familiar surroundings can help Luka Jovic rediscover his best form after the striker completed his loan move from Real Madrid.
The Serbia international has rejoined the Bundesliga club for the remainder of the season, having made just five appearances for Madrid in all competitions this term.
Jovic started only four LaLiga games in the previous campaign, having moved to Spain in a €60million transfer off the back of a hugely productive 2018-19 that saw him finish with 27 goals.
Eintracht are hopeful the 23-year-old can now get back on track in Germany, with the temporary switch suiting all parties involved.
Luka didn t have an easy time in Madrid recently. It is important for him to get back o…
Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor is really happy to see Joe Kinnear back at the club in a director of football role.
Kinnear was manager at Newcastle for a chunk of the 2008-09 campaign before he suffered a heart attack and the club went on to be relegated from the Premier League that season.
The former Wimbledon boss was confirmed in his new position on Tuesday but has come under fire after insulting Newcastle fans and mispronouncing the names of several players in a bizarre radio interview on Monday.
But Taylor revealed that he enjoyed playing under Kinnear and believes his arrival will provide a boost for the St James Park outfit.
I am really happy to see Joe back at the club and I think his return can only be positive for everyone connected to the club…
Al-Ettifaq midfielder Jordan Henderson has been named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming games against Ukraine and Scotland, but there was no place for Raheem Sterling.
The road to next summer’s European Championship continues with a qualifier against Ukraine in Poland on September 9, before playing a friendly in Scotland three days later.
Southgate has largely stuck with the tried and tested with his 26-man squad for the double-header, giving call-ups to three regulars with questions over their international roles.
England vice-captain Henderson’s move to Saudi club Al-Ettifaq raises questions ahead of the Euros, while former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire and Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips have yet to play a minute o…
Wigan have agreed a compensation package with Everton for manager Roberto Martinez, the club s chairman Dave Whelan has revealed.
The Spaniard has been widely tipped for a move to the Merseyside club since David Moyes departed in order to replace Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
And Whelan has now explained that the 39-year-old s move to Goodison Park is likely to be confirmed in the coming days.
Martinez joined Wigan in 2009 and guided them to Premier League safety in his first three years while attracting plaudits for an expansive style of football.
The crowning achievement of Martinez s time at the DW Stadium came in the 2012-13 campaign, as he oversaw a shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
However, those celebrations were soured just days later, as Wigan s…