Antonio Conte Acquitted over Charges of Sporting Fraud Ahead of Chelsea Move

Italy manager Antonio Conte has been acquitted of charges of sporting fraud.

ESPN FC reported the decision on their Twitter feed on Monday:

The former Juventus coach, who will take over at Chelsea next season, was under investigation after it was alleged he had failed to notify a fixing incident during his time as manager of Siena, per Football Italia.

As Gazzetta dello Sport reported (h/t Football Italia), the prosecutor had requested a suspended six-month sentence for the 46-year-old.

The incident in question related to a game against AlbinoLeffe, after which it was suggested Conte had not reported the result of a fixed match. When the charges were put to him, the coach opted for a fast-track trial with the UEFA European Championships looming this summer.

Tancredi Palmeri of beIN Sports offered his opinion on the verdict:

Conte, who won three league titles with the Bianconeri, will be hoping to guide Italy to glory this summer. He's taken charge of the national side on 18 occasions, and while the Azzurri are not one of the main contenders for glory, this fanatical football nation will always have high expectations of their players.

Kerstin Joensson/Associated Press

After Italy's involvement in the Euros is over, he will take charge of Chelsea. The club confirmed in April that Conte had agreed to a three-year deal at Stamford Bridge, and he'll be tasked with turning things around following a disappointing 2015-16 for the Blues.