Conte knew Siena president Mezzaroma asked us to lose, reveals Carobbio

Posted Thursday, May 31, 2012 by Goal.com

The extent of Filippo Carobbio’s allegations against Juventus boss Antonio Conte have begun to circulate in the Italian press, with his deposition to investigators claiming that the coach was aware of alleged match-fixing involving Siena's president Massimo Mezzaroma.

The midfielder was detained by police last December as part of the ongoing Scommessopoli investigations into the match-fixing of several Serie A and B matches in 2010-11.

He claimed in his testimony that Mezzaroma sent a messenger down to the locker room to ask the players about the possibility of losing so he could win money on a bet, something the coaching staff, then including Conte, were aware of. Siena and Conte have moved to officially deny such allegations.

However, Carobbio's claims, given to investigators in Cremona, were damning of Mezzaroma.

"Before the Serie B match between Siena and Varese, president Mezzaroma sent someone close to him to the locker room to ask about the possibility of losing the game.

"That person then went on to say the president had wagered on our defeat.

"I later learned from our assistant coach that the coaching staff also knew of this arrangement made by Mezzaroma," Carobbio revealed.

Conte, who led Siena to promotion to Serie A that campaign, had his house ransacked by police as part of the investigations on Monday. If Carobbio's statements are proven, the coach could be ascribed on the charge of failing to report Mezzaroma's misdeeds.