The trial of four of Italy's top football teams and 26 officials began today as a panel of judges convened a fast-track hearing into match-fixing charges that could see champions Juventus thrown out of Serie A.

The head of the tribunal, Cesare Ruperto, opened the trial just after 8.30am (Irish time) inside a low-ceilinged room in Rome's Olympic Stadium. The proceedings were beamed by closed circuit TV to media gathered in a nearby room.
   
As well as Juventus, the Italian champions for the last two seasons, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio also risk relegation and having points docked by the sports tribunal, which aims to give a verdict by the end of next week.
   
The charges are based on hours of intercepted telephone conversations between leading soccer officials that appear to show them trying to influence the Italian Football Federation's (FIGC) appointment of referees.
   
FIGC, under emergency leadership since the scandal broke in May, is running the trial and has said it will rule by July 9th, the date of the World Cup final, and that appeals would be heard by July 20th.
   
That would give FIGC time before a deadline of July 27th to submit the names of teams to compete in next season's Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions.