Crotone goalie Angelo Pagotto would face a lifetime ban for cocaine use.
Italian Olympic Committee anti-doping prosecutors recommended the ban Monday after Pagotto tested positive for the drug for the 2nd time in his career following Crotone's Serie B football match with Spezia on April 28.
Pagotto also served an 18 month ban for cocaine use whilst playing for Perugia in 2000.
The 33 year old had asked the committee for clemency at a hearing last week, where he admitted that his 2nd infringement.
The Italian Soccer Federation, which provisionally suspended the player immediately after the failed test, will now rule on CONI's recommendation.
Crotone was relegated to the 3rd division at the end of last season.
30 July 2007
Reggina slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Mexican side Deportivo Toluca in their 2nd and final game of the Chicago Trophy.
New manager Massimo Ficcadenti's side look tired as the mediocre Mexicans ran rings round them for long periods at Soldier Field in front of around 5,000 fans.
Uruguayan forward Vicente Sanchez fired ex Argentina Coach Jose Pekerman's men to win with goals either side of half time.
Polish side Wisla Krakow lifted the Chicago Trophy after triumphing over UEFA Cup holders Sevilla in Sunday's other clash.
Reggina return to Italy Tuesday and the Calabrian minnows will have a lot of work to do at their training camp in Spoleto, near Perugia, which will run from August 3 until August 12.
07 July 2007
FIFA World Cup winner Fabio Grosso has left Italian champions FC Inter Milano to sign a 4 year contract with French counterparts Olympique Lyonnais.
The 6 time Ligue 1 winners have paid a reported €7 million for the Italy left back's services, having parted company with 1st-choice Eric Abidal and understudy Jeremy Berthod in the summer to FC Barcelona and AS Monaco FC respectively.
Lyon would also lose left winger Florent Malouda, however the Stade de Gerland faithful will hope Grosso, who will wear the No11 shirt, can forge an effective partnership with new midfield recruit Nadir Belhadj from CS Sedan Ardennes
Grosso, 29, spent only one season at Inter, playing 23 games in Serie A and 6 in the UEFA Champions League after joining from US Citta di Palermo. Grosso 1st moved to Sicily from AC Perugia midway through the 2003/04 campaign and it was there where his form earned him a 1st call up by the Azzurri.
He was capped 25 times, with 2 goals, and featured in the World Cup final defeat of France on 9 July 2006, where he scored the decisive penalty kick in the 5-3 shoot out triumph after a 1-1 draw.
07 July 2007
Fabio Liverani has surprisingly said that he is probably going to remain at Fiorentina this year. 'My future is here,' he noted.
The classy midfielder expects to move on in the summer with his club openly putting their trust in younger elements of the squad.
However, the 31 year old claims that he expects to still be wearing the Viola jersey in 2007-08.
'I do not think there are any transfer negotiations taking place for me,' he noted. 'My future is in Florence.'
The former Italian international only joined the Tuscan giants last summer after his 5 year contract at Lazio expired.
His Bosman style transfer was certainly of benefit to Coach Cesare Prandelli who used the Roman on 36 occasions in Serie A last term, where he scored one goal.
'Our target will be reaching the UEFA Cup,' added the playmaker when questioned about next term's objectives.
'We have some promising youngsters here, however there are teams who will be able to offer more than us. Inter and Milan are superior to everyone. Then there is Roma who play good football and we should not forget the return of Juve who have no European commitments.'
Liverani 1st hit the calcio radar in 2000-01 when top flight club Perugia signed him from Serie C1 side Viterbese.
24 June 2007
Fiorentina are closing in on Franco Semioli, as Chievo requested Massimo Gobbi and Guilherme Do Prado as part of the deal.
The winger will leave after Chievo's relegation into Serie B and is at the centre of a bidding war between the Viola and Roma.
The Tuscans appear to have the upper hand and this weekend a clearer picture of the terms emerged.
If Fiorentina are to snap up Semioli, then they must hand over midfielder Gobbi and Brazilian Do Prado.
Gobbi is a former Cagliari player who only made 16 appearances for Cesare Prandelli's side this season.
Do Prado spent the last 6 months on loan at Spezia, where he scored the decisive goal in their 2-1 relegation played out win over Verona.
The Brazilian has had some injury problems since moving to Italy with Catania and Perugia, so he is yet to make a Serie A appearance for Fiorentina.
24 June 2007
Reggina hitman Nicola Amoruso is on the verge of completing a transfer to Palermo, as stated by reports.
The veteran has had a sensational season at the Stadio Granillo, as his 17 goals in 34 games helped form the most prolific partnership in Serie A with Rolando Bianchi.
He was linked with the vacant spot at Fiorentina after Luca Toni's departure, however rumours claim that Amoruso has agreed to the proposal from Palermo.
Requested by new Coach Stefano Colantuono, the Rosanero require a new centre forward to replace the Sampdoria-bound Andrea Caracciolo.
It could be a return to Sicily for the ex Juve forward, who spent the 2004-05 campaign at rivals Messina.
Amoruso, who turns 33 in August, has had a well-travelled career at Sampdoria, Fidelis Andria, Padova, Juve, Perugia, Napoli, Como, Modena, Messina and Reggina.
Palermo have also bought Davide Matteini after winning the blind auction with Empoli, however lost Stephen Makinwa to Lazio.
23 June 2007
Andrea Caracciolo has left Palermo after Sampdoria netted him in a co-ownership deal this afternoon.
The 25 year old, who joined the Isolani from Brescia in 2005, failed to impress last season and had already publicly said that he could be leaving Sicily in the summer.
'Palermo and Sampdoria have agreed to a co-ownership deal for footballer Andrea Caracciolo,' read a note posted on Sampdoria's website.
Caracciolo, who was also a reported target for Torino and Liverpool in recent times, started his career in Serie D with Sancolombano, before moving on to Como and Pro Vercelli.
He made his Serie A debut with Brescia in 2002 and spent the 2002-03 season on loan at Perugia.
The 'Heron' earned his maiden call up with the Nazionale in 2004 and was recalled by Roberto Donadoni last summer for the friendly with Croatia.
The forward had hoped to take full advantage of the opportunity offered by Amauri's injury before the Christmas break, however only managed to score 5 Serie A goals last season with the Rosanero.
23 June 2007
There were no real surprises as the blind auction envelopes to resolve co-ownership deals were opened this afternoon.
Fabio Quagliarella will leave Sampdoria after Udinese outbid them by £570,000, whilst Lazio offered more than Palermo for Stephen Makinwa.
BELINGHERI (ALBINOLEFFE-ASCOLI) ASCOLI
BOTTONE (VARESE-TORINO) TORINO
BRIVIO (FIORENTINA-ATALANTA) ATALANTA
CAROBBIO (GENOA-ALBINOLEFFE) ALBINOLEFFE
CAROTTI (CREMONESE-PARMA) CREMONESE
CASSETTI (ROMA-LECCE) ROMA
CAVAGNA (AREZZO-FOLIGNO) FOLIGNO
CESAR (CATANIA-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
CIARCIA (TERNANA-CROTONE) TERNANA
CODA (UDINESE-EMPOLI) UDINESE
COMOTTO (TORINO-ROMA) TORINO
CROCE (AREZZO-PESCARA) AREZZO
DE FALCO (PESCARA-FIORENTINA) PESCARA
DEL SOLE (SANREMESE-PARMA) PARMA
DI DEO (FROSINONE-TERNANA) TERNANA
DIAGOURAGA (SAMBENEDETTESE-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
DIDIO (REGGINA-TERNANA) TERNANA
FELCI (PESCARA-GIULIANOVA) PESCARA
FIUZZI (CUOIOPELLI-EMPOLI) EMPOLI
GAZZI (REGGINA-BARI) BARI
KONKO (SIENA-GENOA) SIENA
MAKINWA (LAZIO-PALERMO) LAZIO
MASIELLO (SIENA-GENOA) GENOA
MATTEINI (PALERMO-EMPOLI) PALERMO
MILANI (BARI-CITTADELLA) CITTADELLA
NOSSA (SAN MARINO-INTER) INTER
OLA (CESENA-TERAMO) CESENA
OLIVERI (PESCARA-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
OSVALDO (LECCE-ATALANTA) ATALANTA
PEDRELLI (VENEZIA-BOLOGNA) VENEZIA
PELLICORI (CESENA-PIACENZA) CESENA
PEPE (UDINESE-CAGLIARI) UDINESE
QUAGLIARELLA (SAMPDORIA-UDINESE) UDINESE
RINALDI (CARRARESE-GENOA) CARRARESE
RUSSO (GROSSETO-MESSINA) GROSSETO
SAVIANO (CASSINO-CHIEVO) CHIEVO
SIMONETTA (AREZZO-ROMA) AREZZO
SPITONI (GENOA-PERUGIA) GENOA
SORRENTINO (GROSSETO-PARMA) GROSSETO
VALERI (GROSSETO-INTER) GROSSETO
19 June 2007
Fabio Bazzani will join Serie B club Brescia after signing a 2 year contract with the Rondinelle.
The forward will leave Sampdoria on a free transfer after 5 years at the Marassi, as said by Brescia's official website bresciaonline.it.
'Sporting director Gian Luca Nani announces that Brescia and Bazzani have agreed to a 2 year deal this morning, with an option for a 3rd,' read a note posted Monday
'Bazzani is presently on holiday abroad and will meet his new teammates in mid-July for pre season training.'
The forward had already put pen to paper with Livorno, however then asked to free himself from the contract after the Amaranto fans protested against his arrival, supposedly due to political reasons.
The 30 year old will join Coach Serse Cosmi, whom he worked with at Arezzo in 1999-2000, scoring 20 goals in 31 matches, and Perugia in 2001-02, netting 10 times.
Bazzani's spell in Genoa was plagued by a series of injuries that have kept him out for months at a time, however he was vital in their promotion from Serie B with 16 goals in 2002-03.
17 June 2007
Nicola Amoruso admitted that he has turned down a massive proposal from Shakhtar Donetsk in order to see out his career at Reggina.
'There was talk of Fiorentina's interest, however they changed their strategy to focus on the return of Valeri Bojinov from his loan spell at Juve,' explained the veteran.
'Mircea Lucescu made a very important offer for Shakhtar. It was impressive and we had negotiations, however in the end President Lillo Foti and I agreed the best thing to do right now was to extend my contract. We are working on that now and it would well be my last signature thinking about I am 33. I like the idea of seeing out my career in Reggio Calabria.'
The native of the Puglia region is well-travelled, having played for Sampdoria, Fidelis Andria, Padova, Juve, Perugia, Napoli, Como, Modena, Messina and joined Reggina in 2005.
He set a new personal best this term with 17 goals in 34 games, playing a pivotal position in saving the side from relegation inspite of their 11 point Calciopoli penalty.
Understandably, such form alerted several clubs, however Amoruso appears to have his heart set on the Stadio Granillo even after Coach Walter Mazzarri and strike partner Rolando Bianchi moved on.
'I think that is the right course of action, as Reggina must make the most of this period and cash in. I wish Rolando all the best, however he will certainly leave in the summer,' he informed the 'Corriere dello Sport.'
'One thing is clear – we need to build a balanced and competitive side, because even without a penalty it will be equally difficult to avoid relegation with sides such as Genoa, Napoli and Juve raising the bar. My priority is Reggina, the city and its fans. I feel a part of this club. Obviously if the President received a large offer, we would discuss it, however right now I am only focused on next season.'
