Deschamps appointed as Juventus' coach
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-07-11 11:39 Juventus has signed a two-year
coaching contract with former France soccer captain Didier Deschamps after
former coach Fabio Capello went to Real Madrid.
Juventus, who is facing possible relegation to the second-tier Serie B or
even lower leagues as a punishment in an ongoing match-fixing trial, said on
Monday the contract would run until June 30, 2008.
Deschamps, 37, who retired from international football after winning the 1998
World Cup and the 2000 European championship with France, said last month
Juventus had asked him to coach the side if it was relegated to the second-tier
Serie B.
He was appointed Monaco coach in 2001 and became its longest-serving manager,
taking them to the Champions League final in 2004. He stepped down in 2005 after
a poor run.
Capello's contract was seen as linked to Juventus top-league status, and he
signed a three-year deal with Real Madrid last week.
In one of Italy's biggest ever sporting scandals, Juventus and fellow top
Italian soccer clubs AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio have been accused of
sporting fraud by a sports prosecutor. The clubs deny the charge.
No decision has been taken yet on possible relegation for Juventus, but even
a lawyer for Juventus said demotion to Serie B would be an acceptable punishment
in the event of a guilty finding.
The verdicts are expected on Tuesday or
Wednesday.
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