Italy investigator widens football probe

ROME, June 26 (Reuters) The Italian magistrate whose probe into alleged match-fixing led to charges last week against top football clubs widened his investigation today to include some of Italy's smaller teams, newspapers said.

The first part of Francesco Borrelli's investigation concluded last week with champions Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio -- as well as 26 officials, referees and linesmen -- being ordered to appear before a sports tribunal in Rome's Olympic Stadium starting on Thursday.

Now officials from three more Serie A clubs -- Reggina, Siena and Empoli -- have been called for questioning by magistrates examining events and intercepted telephone conversations during the 2004-05 season, newspapers said. Serie B sides Messina, Lecce and Arezzo are also under investigation, both La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica newspapers said. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said it would not comment on Borrelli's investigation.

The magistrates are investigating the clubs for suspected match-fixing. Investigators have accused former Juventus manager Luciano Moggi of working with FIGC officials, club managers, referees and linesmen to influence results on the pitch and transfer deals to favour his team.

Moggi and the other individuals who have been charged have denied wrongdoing.

SENIOR OFFICIALS The scandal erupted early last month with the publication of intercepted telephone conversations between Moggi and senior FIGC officials discussing refereeing appointments during the 2004-05 season.

At the tribunal, Juventus, Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio will face charges of sporting fraud and risk sanctions ranging from a deduction of points to relegation to a lower division.

Juventus -- 29 times Italy champions -- could be stripped of the Serie A titles they won in the past two seasons.

The tribunal is scheduled to deliver its verdicts on the first set of charges between July 7 and 9 -- the latter date being the World Cup final.

Juventus faces near certain relegation to Serie B and possibly to Serie C1, newspapers have said.

But the 109-year-old club, nicknamed La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady) and boasting the biggest following of any Italian team, hopes to stay in Serie A with punishment limited to a deduction of points, they said.

Any convicted club or individual can ask for an appeals trial which the FIGC has promised will end by July 20, in time for the FIGC to tell UEFA which teams will compete in next season's Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions.

Any trial resulting from the second part of Borrelli's investigation is expected to come later but must be completed in time for the start of the 2006-07 Serie A season on August 28.

REUTERS PDS RK1833