4 months imprisonment for threatening Franco Baldini

Luciano Moggi, the former Juventus general manager, has been sentenced to four months in prison for threatening former Roma director and Tottenham technical director Franco Baldini.

Baldini left Spurs by mutual consent after the transfer window had shut. he was tasked with selling players and did a successful job this summer while he also was asked to take a hand in the purchase of Clinton Njie.

The charges stem from a trial relating to GEA World, which is an agency run by Alessandro Moggi, Luciano's son. The Italian high court last year annulled a conviction for putting pressure on players to be represented by the agency, but this was a separate trial. Putting pressure on clubs and players seems to be common place in IUtalian football with the men in charge of Serie A also investigated previously. That revolved around not wanting smaller clubs getting promotion because it might affect TV revenues. The Lazio chairman is the subject of a probe, the national manager has been, Serie B clubs are, the list goes on.

Franco Baldini was a witness in the GEA trial and accused Luciano Moggi of pointing his finger in his face, swearing at him and warning him to “be careful” as it could “end badly”. The Italian legal system is entirely different to ours. In Italy a person is not considered guilty after a verdict, there are several levels of appeal first.

While Moggi was convicted of threatening Baldini, he appealed the sentence. The appeals court in Rome upheld the verdict and have sentenced Moggi to four months imprisonment. The next stage is for Moggi to make an appeal to the Supreme Court. 

Further Tottenham Reading
Posturing and the fake Simon fee
Dembele available for £10m
Levy is doing it right, cautious growth
Spurs stadium-led regeneration
Spurs should be measured against Spurs, not others
Money mercenaries to a side that plays for the shirt