Juventus head coach Antonio Conte has been banned from football for ten months for his part in the latest match-fixing scandal to hit Italian football.

Conte has been accused of not reporting match-fixing while managing Siena in Serie B.

The games involved were believed to be Siena’s Serie B fixtures with Novara and AlbinoLeffe and Conte is accused of failing to report attempted match-fixing in those fixtures.

Hope

There was hope that the Juve boss could make a deal which saw him serve just three months on the sidelines, but the Italian Football Federation rejected the plea bargain and Conte will now have to serve a ten months suspension and pay a fine of £157,000 (200,000 euros).

It was acknowledged that Conte wasn’t involved in match-fixing directly himself and charges of direct involvement in match-fixing were dropped.

Terrible

The ten month ban is terrible news for Juventus and Conte. The 43 year-old has just established the Bianconeri as the dominant force in Italian football. The ruling could see his hard work undone and somebody else take his position as Juve boss.

Uncertain

Juventus and Antonio Conte now face an uncertain future. Juventus haven’t yet stated what will happen with Conte and his job. I believed he is likely to be replaced though. Former-Juve and Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro was linked with the job last month.

However, it would be a big task to manage Juve in his first managerial appointment. Cannavaro would definitely be a sentimental appointment, but I’m sure most Juventus fans would want an experienced boss installed at the Juve helm.

Progress

If Juventus are to continue with the progress made under Conte then the decision over the coach’s future will be key. As it stands it looks likely that they will replace Conte. Let’s just hope for the sake of Juve fans that the Bianconeri can keep progressing under their new coach.

Who would be the ideal replacement for Antonio Conte at Juventus?