Conte banned for 10 months over fixing

Italy and Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, who had faced a possible three-and-a-half-year ban, was, however, acquitted by an Italian football federation tribunal along with team mate Simone Pepe.

Conte, who led an undefeated Juventus to the Italian title in his first season in charge last term, was accused of failing to report incidents of match-fixing in two games in the 2010-11 season when he was the coach of then Serie B side Siena.

Conte's original plea-bargain of a three-month ban and a fine of 200,000 euros had been rejected by the Federation's disciplinary commission and after not being able to agree on revised terms, he opted to go to the sporting trial.

Juventus said Conte, who will now have to sit out Saturday's Italian Super Cup match with Napoli in Beijing, would appeal and sporting director Beppe Marotta said he had not even considered replacing the former midfielder as coach.

"Our defence lawyers are already at work and we are convinced that after the appeal we will have Conte back on the bench by September 10," Marotta told a news conference in Beijing.

The Serie A season starts on August 24 with assistant coach Massimo Carrera set to be Juve's interim coach. Italian media reports had speculated Italy coach Cesare Prandelli could be asked to step in.

Juve, Italy's best supported and most successful club domestically, had endured years of under-achievement following their 2006 demotion to the second division for a match-fixing scandal involving referees.

Last season's triumph in their new Juventus Stadium had reasserted their authority in the Italian game and the immediate future without Conte puts a cloud over their hopes of defending the title and mounting an assault on the Champions League.

"Juventus... warmly welcomes the acquittal of its players Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe and reiterates its full support for Antonio Conte and Angelo Alessio in the hope that the next degree of judgement can finally allow their innocence to emerge fully," the Turin club said in a statement.