MILAN (Reuters):

NAPLES MAGISTRATES charged 37 people yesterday over Italy's match-fixing scandal, including former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi.

Last year a sports tribunal stripped Juventus of their last two Serie A titles and relegated them to Serie B after being found guilty of match-fixing, while AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina all started last season with points deductions.

Moggi was banned from football for five years.

The Naples investigation is a separate probe to that held last year with 48 people originally accused of trying to influence the result of 40 Serie A matches, 15 of which did not feature in the original trial.

However, the Naples magistrates said in a statement that 37 people had now been charged with sporting fraud linked to 29 matches in the 2004-05 championship.

Further sanctions

The statement did not say if any of the matches were different from the previous trial.

When news of the new Naples investigation broke in April, Italian football fans feared it would lead to further sanctions for clubs following the demotions and points deductions suffered last season.

It now looks highly unlikely that clubs will be hit a second time but Moggi may be among those facing further punishment, possibly including imprisonment.

Referees, club directors and former Italian federation officials were among the 37 charged.

Juventus will start next season back in Serie A after achieving immediate promotion last season.