Lawyer says Juventus duo deserve praise, not trial

ROME, July 7 (Reuters) Former top executives of Italian soccer club Juventus deserve praise for helping Italy reach the World Cup final rather than being put on trial for alleged match-fixing, a lawyer for one of the men said today.

Paolo Trofino, representing former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi at a tribunal hearing the case, painted a grim picture of Italian football where ''illegal behaviour is so diffuse that it is considered legal.'' He stressed instead the role that Moggi and former Juventus Chief Executive Antonio Giraudo played in turning the Turin club into the backbone of the current Italian national side.

''On Sunday night, when Italy play France in the World Cup final, you will see on your television screens that more than a third of the players on the pitch were employed by Moggi and Giraudo,'' the lawyer said.

''You will see (Italian national coach Marcello) Lippi, who coached Juventus.'' Trofino said the tribunal should be suspended, arguing that the intercepted telephone calls on which the case rests represented only a fraction of calls made by Moggi.

The scandal broke in May with the publication of intercepted telephone conversations between Moggi and Italian soccer officials, discussing refereeing appointments.

As well as Juventus, top Italian soccer clubs AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio have been accused of sporting fraud by a sports prosecutor. The clubs deny the charge.

Juventus risk relegation to Italy's third division and the others could go down to the second division. The prosecutor also wants all four teams to be docked points next season.

A lawyer for Juventus said on Wednesday the club might agree to relegation to Italy's second division, if found guilty.

The tribunal is aiming to deliver a verdict on Monday, the day after the World Cup final between Italy and France.

Any appeals must be wrapped up by July 27 -- the UEFA deadline for the Italian Football Federation to submit its list of teams for next season's European competitions.

REUTERS AY KP2159