Sports / Soccer |
Inter and Milan try to calm fans over probes(Reuters)Updated: 2007-06-22 09:14 MILAN, June 21 - European champions AC Milan and city rivals Inter hit back on Thursday over two investigations into the conduct of the clubs. Inter president Massimo Moratti and Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani look likely to be sent to trial over allegations they inflated transfer fees to obtain fictitious capital gains between 2003 and 2005. Prosecutors said on Wednesday that Inter would not have had the necessary financial security to have been allowed in the 2005/06 championship if full figures had been available. Media had speculated that a hefty fine would be the worst punishment if either official was found guilty but a judge has the right to impose points deductions, exclude a club from the championship or strip them of a title. "I tell the fans to be calm," Moratti told reporters. "These are intense days and there is always something that needs answering. Inter are clean." Inter were awarded the 2005/06 Serie A title after original winners Juventus were stripped of the championship, or scudetto, and demoted in Italy's match-fixing probe. Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello, Juve boss two seasons ago, hinted that his former club AS Roma should now be awarded the 2006 title despite finishing fifth in the original table before Juve, AC Milan and Fiorentina were punished in the scandal. "It would be too beautiful, above all for the comments thrown at me in Spain about honest and correct scudettos," he was quoted as saying by Italian media. SUAZO BATTLE Roberto Mancini's Inter won last season's title on the pitch rather than a court room, with Milan struggling to compete at home after an eight point deduction for their role in the match-fixing controversy. "I confirm absolutely that Milan's balance sheets, relative to the registration for the 2004/05 and 2005/06 championships, are totally regular," Milan's Galliani said. The two rival clubs are also under investigation by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) over the transfer of Cagliari striker David Suazo. Inter thought they had agreed a deal with Cagliari but Milan announced on Tuesday that the Honduran was their player. However, Inter said the player had signed with them even though the deal with Cagliari had not been totally completed. FIGC is investigating whether any rules have been broken over a player signing for two sides and the investigation could result in a fine for the clubs or a ban for the player.
|
|