ROME — Juventus coach Antonio Conte has been suspended for 10 months for his role in a match-fixing scandal, but players Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe have been cleared. The Italian Football Federation's disciplinary committee announced the verdicts Friday. Prosecutor Stefano Palazzi had asked for Conte to be banned for 15 months. Conte, who led Juventus to the Serie A title last season, was punished for failing to report match-fixing in two games during the 2010-11 season when he was coach of then-Serie B side Siena. Juventus released a statement immediately after the verdicts were announced, saying it has already begun preparing appeals for Conte and his assistant Angelo Alessio, who has been banned for eight months. “Juventus expresses great satisfaction for the absolution of its players Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe and underlines its full support for Antonio Conte and Angelo Alessio, in the hope that the next level of the justice system can at last show they are completely innocent.” Palazzi had asked for a 42-month ban for Bonucci and a 12-month ban for Pepe for their alleged roles in fixing the Udinese vs. Bari match in May 2010. Bonucci was a Bari player at the time, while Pepe was with Udinese. Udinese has also been cleared, while fellow Serie A side Bologna has been fined $37,000 — Palazzi had asked for it to be docked two points. Former Bologna captain Marco Di Vaio — now with Canadian side Montreal Impact — has also been cleared. He tweeted: “Justice has been done!!! Cleared!!! Now I'll go back to bed a lot lighter!!” Meanwhile, Lecce and Grosseto have been banned from Serie B and will start next season in Lega Pro, the third division of Italian football. Novara has been deducted two points. Appeals will be heard on August 20. Di Maria staying at Real Real Madrid has extended the contract of its Argentine winger Angel di Maria until 2018, the club said Thursday, sealing his place as it seeks to retain the Spanish league title. “Angel di Maria has extended his contract with Real Madrid. (Coach) Jose Mourinho will have one of the key pieces of the Real Madrid attack available to him until at least the end of the 2017-18 season,” it said in a statement. Di Maria, 24, moved in 2010 from Portuguese side Benfica to Real, which is now preparing to host its fierce rival Barcelona in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Aug. 23. “I have changed a lot in all ways since I arrived here. From a football perspective I have improved a lot thanks to Mourinho. I'm very happy here and the extension of my contract gives me the possibility to continue with Real Madrid for many years in order to continue improving,” the club quoted him as saying. — Agencies
