HAMBURG, June 23, 2006 (AFP) - Italy coach Marcello Lippi insisted the fall-out from the Serie A match-fixing scandal would not affect his team's chances at the World Cup. Lippi made his bold claim after Italy reached the last 16 with a 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic and just minutes before Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina were all charged by the Italian football federation (FIGC) for their part in fixing matches in the 2004-05 season. Thirteen of Lippi's 23-man squad play for the clubs involved who will go on trial in Rome from next Tuesday or Wednesday on charges of sporting fraud. The FIGC did not give the names of any of the individuals charged, but nobody in the Italian team or Lippi is under suspicion. "We are concentrating on the World Cup," Lippi said after he was asked by a foreign journalist if the scandal was having an impact on the team. "You foreign journalists seem to believe that all we are thinking about is the scandal. "This hasn't been making us tense, the only thing we were concerned about was losing to the Czechs and going out of the tournament. "This group of players has a great opportunity to have a great World Cup and we are not going to let anything distract us from our objective. "Every one of us will deal with these issues when the World Cup is over." The scandal started with the publication in early May of telephone conversations in which former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi was heard telling Pierluigi Pairetto, head of the Italian referees' asosciation, which referees he wanted assigned to certain league and European matches. Italian prosecutors then started investigations into the dealings of GEA, Italy's largest firm of football agents, which is run by Moggi's son Alessandro. Lippi had faced calls to resign before the World Cup after allegations, which he firmly denied, that he was forced by Moggi senior to select certain players for the national side. But Lippi's son Davide has been under investigation by magistrates looking into the dealings of GEA World, who he works for. The agency are suspected of "illegal competition with use of threats and violence". Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina and Lazio could be relegated if they are found to be directly responsible for fixing matches. However, if the fraud is deemed indirect they face having points deducted ahead of next season's league campaign. A verdict is expected between July 7 and 9, the latter date being that of the World Cup final, in which Italy could be involved. In the case of appeals, a definitive decision should be known by July 20 according to the timetable set out by the FIGC. If the Italians, however, are to search desperately for a good omen it is that the previous matchfixing scandal involved a certain Paolo Rossi, who returned after his lengthy ban and his goals inspired them to an unlikely triumph in the 1982 World Cup.
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