Rome: Serie A title-contender Napoli and team captain Paolo Cannavaro were ordered by the Italian football federation on Friday to face match-fixing allegations. Current and former Napoli players Gianluca Grava and Matteo Gianello and former Napoli assistant Silvio Giusti were also called in for questioning over the May 16, 2010, Sampdoria-Napoli match.
Sampdoria won the match 1-0 with a goal from current AC Milan player Giampaolo Pazzini in the 51st minute. It was the final round of the season and the victory secured Sampdoria fourth place and a spot in Champions League qualifying. Gianello and Giusti are accused of sports fraud by attempting to fix the match in exchange for money, while Cannavaro and Grava are accused of failing to report fixing.
Cannavaro is the younger brother of former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro. Napoli could be deducted points and the players could be banned if found guilty. Several others were also called in for questioning over alleged fixing in the lower-division Portogruaro-Crotone match in May, 2011.
The accusations stem from an investigation by Naples prosecutors. Napoli trails Serie A leader Juventus by three points, as the southern club chases its first title since Diego Maradona helped secure the championship in 1987 and 1990....
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09:43 PM, Oct 26, 2012
