Criscito left out of Italy squad to clear name
Reuters - Monday 28 May 2012, 17:43
Italy left-back Domenico Criscito will
miss the European Championships next month after police turned up
at the Azzurri's training camp on Monday and formally put the
Zenit St Petersburg player under investigation in a match-fixing
probe.
Criscito, who prosecutors allege was photographed in a
restaurant with match-fixing suspects while still a Genoa player
in 2011, told reporters: "I have nothing to do with this. I was
only out for dinner with some Genoa fans."
Coach Cesare Prandelli was in the process of whittling his
32-man squad down to 25 when police arrived.
"I am not taking Criscito because he would have been under
pressure which no human being can bear," Prandelli told a news
conference.
"The other reason is that he could have been summoned by the
prosecutor at any moment, before a match."
Prandelli also cut Emiliano Viviano, Marco Verratti, Davide
Astori, Salvatore Bocchetti, Luca Cigarini and Ezequiel
Schelotto from his Euro squad with two more names to follow
before UEFA's Tuesday midday deadline.
Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has also been linked to
match-fixing in testimony from a probe in Bari, where he used to
play, but is not under formal investigation and will go to the
tournament in Ukraine and Poland.
"I have talked with Bonucci, he has already been heard by
prosecutors in Bari. He is calm and so are we," Prandelli added.
"At the moment he has not received any communication. If
Bonucci is OK, he will be in the list of 23 for the Euros."
The latest match-fixing probe has stunned Italy and led to
some high-profile arrests on Monday as well as Criscito being
warned.
Serie A title-winning Juventus coach Antonio Conte is also
under formal investigation over his time as Siena boss.
Italian football was last embroiled in a major match-fixing
affair in 2006 - the year the national team won the World Cup.
Italy face Spain, Croatia and Ireland in Euro 2012 Group C
with their first game against the Spanish holders in Gdansk on
June 10.