AMID fears that fans would riot and with the intent of ensuring that the guilty individuals were punished more than the clubs after the match-fixing trial that rocked the nation, the Italian FA last night concluded an appeal by issuing sharply reduced sentences.

Juventus remain relegated to Serie B, but they will start next season on minus 17 points rather than the minus 30 originally handed out, improving their chances of returning to the top flight at the first attempt. AC Milan also had their points penalty in Serie A reduced, from minus 15 to minus eight, and, crucially, they will be allowed to enter the Champions League in the third qualifying round.

The biggest winners were Fiorentina and Lazio, both of whom had been relegated to Serie B with heavy points penalties. They will now remain in Serie A, although they will start the season on minus 19 and minus 11 points respectively.

Last night’s sentences are the last word as far as sporting justice is concerned. However, clubs may yet turn to a civil tribunal in Italy, in which case there would be two further levels of appeal.

Juventus and Fiorentina have indicated that they will do just that in an effort to get their sentences further reduced. Any appeal to a civil tribunal is unlikely to be concluded before mid-August, which means that the start of the new season, scheduled for August 27, will probably be delayed until September 10.

“It’s not our problem if the start of the league is delayed, it’s the FA’s problem,” Diego Della Valle, the Fiorentina owner, said last night. “This is just the first step in the legal process. We will go further. We are still not satisfied because we are innocent.”

Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, the president of Juventus, was equally pugnacious. “We are very disappointed and we refuse to be turned into scapegoats,” he said. “We don’t understand why we’ve been treated more harshly than everybody else. You can be sure that we will appeal in the strongest possible terms. We owe it to our fans and to our shareholders.”

The scandal — the biggest in the history of Italian football — centred on what prosecutors called a “pathological web of influence-peddling” skilfully manoeuvred by Luciano Moggi, the former general manager of Juventus.

With the support of the highest echelons of the Italian FA, as well as an array of agents and journalists, Moggi effectively controlled a number of referees, promising career advancement to those officials who favoured his club and “punishing” others with relegation to minor matches and lower leagues. Fiorentina, Lazio and Milan had faced lesser charges and the court was persuaded that their misdeeds were a means of self-defence against Moggi’ s “system”.

Moggi and Antonio Giraudo, the former Juventus chief executive, were given five-year bans, as was Innocenzo Mazzini, the deputy head of the Italian FA. Adriano Galliani, the former president of the Italian football league and acting chairman of Milan, was banned for nine months. Those sentences stand.

While Fiorentina and Lazio fans celebrated, the future of the clubs remains uncertain, given the sentences handed to their top officials. Andrea Della Valle, the Fiorentina chairman, was banned for three years and his brother, Diego, received a ban of three years and nine months. Claudio Lotito, the Lazio president, got 2½ years.

The sentence came in shortly before Uefa’s deadline for countries to submit their teams for European competition. Milan will be joined by Inter, AS Roma and Chievo in the Champions League. Palermo, Livorno and Parma will enter the Uefa Cup.

UPS AND DOWNS

LAZIO

Back in Serie A but points deduction increased from seven to 11

FIORENTINA

Back in Serie A but points deduction increased from 12 to 19

AC MILAN

Fifteen-point penalty reduced to eight and allowed to join Champions League in third qualifying round

JUVENTUS

Lose past two Serie A titles, remain relegated to Serie B but points deduction reduced from 30 to 17

CLUBS IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Inter Milan, AS Roma, Chievo, AC Milan

UEFA CUP: Palermo, Livorno, Parma

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