By David Gold
September 27 – Matías Almeyda has made a series of allegations relating to match-fixing and doping from his time in Italy’s Serie A, in another blow to a league already badly hit by scandal.
A number of teams and players have been punished for match-fixing in the latest Italian scandal, Calcioscommesse, which affected the lower leagues.
The highest profile case involved that of Juventus coach Antonio Conte, suspended for 10 months for allegedly failing to report match-fixing while at former team Siena, who he led to promotion from Serie B in the 2010-2011 season.
Last year he guided Juventus to the Serie A title without losing a league game.
In his autobiography, which has had extracts printed in Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, ex-Argentina international Almeyda (pictured top) has revealed in some detail a number of allegations, most prominently relating to his time with Parma between 2000 and 2002.
“At Parma we were given an IV drip before games,” Almeyda, who also played for Inter Milan, AC Milan, Brescia and Lazio, said.
“They said it was a mixture of vitamins but before entering the field I was able to jump up as high as the ceiling.
“Players do not ask questions but then in the following years there are cases of former players dying from heart problems, suffering from muscular issues and more.
“I think it is the consequence of the things that have been given to them.”
Almeyda (pictured below, right) also alleges that Parma teammates agreed to throw a match against Roma in the 2000-2001 season.
Roma won the match 3-1 as they edged out Juventus to win the Serie A title.
That allegation will particularly infuriate Juventus, who were the main culprits in the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, when they had two league titles stripped from them for match-fixing and were demoted to Serie B.
“Some Parma teammates told us that the Roma players wanted us to lose the game,” said Almeyda, who has just coached River Plate back into the Argentine top flight.
“That as we weren’t playing for anything, it was the same.
“I said no and the majority responded that way.
“But on the field I saw that some were not running as they always did.
“So I asked to be substituted and went into the changing room.”
In response to a question about money changing hands in the scandal, Almeyda responded: “Money?
“I do not know, they called it a favour.”
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734830592labto1734830592ofdlr1734830592owedi1734830592sni@d1734830592log.d1734830592ivad1734830592