Lazio’s Stefano Mauri among 19 arrested in match-fixing probe

Italy defender Domenico Criscito, who like Conte and Mauri denies the allegations, has also been formally targeted in the investigation and officials have decided to leave him out of the squad for June’s Euro 2012 tournament in Ukraine and Poland.

Police visited Italy’s Coverciano training base yesterday where Cesare Prandelli’s side are preparing for a friendly with Luxembourg tonight. Prosecutor Roberto Di Martino said the raid only concerned ex-Genoa man Criscito, who plays for Russia’s Zenit St Petersburg, and did not involve other national team players. However, Juve defender Leonardo Bonucci – who is in the provisional Euro squad – has been linked by prosecutors with another match-fixing probe in Bari where he used to play. He has denied wrongdoing and has not been formally put under investigation but Juve president Andrea Agnelli was forced to defend his player as well as Conte.

“Conte’s position does not worry me because I am aware of his values of honesty and loyalty that I have known for 20 years,” Agnelli said of allegations which relate to Conte’s time in charge of Siena when they were promoted from Serie B in 2010/11.

Police said they had made 19 arrests and were investigating Conte, who this month led Juve to surprise Serie A glory for the first time since the club were stripped of the 2005 and 2006 titles in another match-fixing scandal. He is being investigated on suspicion of sporting fraud and fraudulent association over allegations concerning a match between Siena and Novara in April 2011. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing involving Juve.

The raids cast a further shadow over Italian football which has not fully recovered from the 2006 “Calciopoli” match-fixing scandal which was followed by Italy winning the World Cup against the odds. Police arrested Mauri and former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto, now with Padova. All the arrests were in connection with fixtures last season between Lecce and Lazio, and Lazio and Genoa.