The Italian Job: 2006 And The Case That Nearly Sunk Serie A.
In Italy, it was proved, beyond doubt, in court, that Juventus officials, players and managers had been cheating for years. Fans of rival clubs had been alleging it for long enough. They were punished and when it happened everyone knew it was right. But they weren’t the only ones involved, although the punishment they recieved was by far the greatest. They were stripped of two league titles – one of which was assigned to Inter Milan – and relegated from the league.
In addition, AC Milan eventually recieved a 30 point deduction and had to play a match behind closed doors; Fiorentina was excluded from the 2006-07 Champions League and ordered to play two matches behind closed doors; Lazio were told to play two games behind closed doors and kicked out of the 2006-07 UEFA Cup and Reggina were fined and their chairman was banned from football for 2 1/2 years.
That scandal eventually swelled to claim media scalps, chiefs of the Italian FA and a number of match officials. It is one of the biggest scandals of its kind in the history of European football, and a lot of people are convinced that other clubs, Inter included, were as deeply involved in it as those which were disciplined.
It was not the first scandal in Italy either; a comprehensive list of all the individuals and clubs linked with scandals there – including the notorious 1980 match-fixing case which sent Milan and Lazio down a division – that it would take an age to compile it.
Controversy and allegations of corruption have surrounded that league, and certain clubs in it, especially Juventus, for decades.
All of this is known.
But it “can’t happen here”?
