Pesoli ends hunger strike

The defender chained himself to the gates of the FIGC headquarters in Rome on Saturday after being banned from football for three years for alleged involvement in match fixing.

But after four days of hunger strike, sitting on a chair under an umbrella, the 32-year-old ate for the first time on Wednesday morning before ending his protest on Wednesday night after a phone call from FIGC vice-president Demetrio Albertini.

Pesoli will meet with FIGC president Giancarlo Abete for talks on Friday having staunchly denied any wrong-doing since the verdicts were issued last Friday.

Quoted in the Gazzetta dello Sport, Pesoli said: "I've ended my protest partly because of what Albertini said to me, and partly because of president Abete's involvement.

"I will meet him at 10am on Friday at the FIGC."

The wider verdicts of the 'Calcioscommesse' trial included suspension for Juventus coach Antonio Conte, who received a 10-month suspension for allegedly failing to report match-fixing while in charge of Siena.

Serie B clubs Grosseto and Lecce were demoted to the Lega Pro for their involvement.

Pesoli added: "I was also advised by my doctor, who urged me to eat something this morning.

"I'm weak, a bit tired, my blood pressure's not great and I've lost a few pounds.

"It shouldn't be a problem to resume (the protest). My health's not been too badly compromised, it's more a case of mental scars."

The defender, who has agreed to move to Verona, is under no illusions over the nature of Friday's meeting with Abete.

Pesoli said: "None of the public prosecutors or court representatives showed up and I was also disappointed with AIC, the players' union, from whom I expected more concrete support during my protest, but instead they just issued a statement.

"Meeting Abete will be a good show of solidarity, but I do not think that the president can influence decisions of justice.

"It will just be a chat, but maybe it will make the federal prosecutors listen."

Pesoli also accused ex-Cremonese defender Carlo Gervasoni, banned for five years for his involvement in the scandal, and former Siena midfielder Filippo Carobbio, banned for 26 months, of giving evidence against other players, including himself, during the investigation.

He added: "I want to confront Gervasoni and Carobbio but I don't think they'll want to at this moment in time.

"I think my lawyer will get the ball rolling there. I want to get those two together in a room, and if they've got the balls, they'll look into my eyes.

"They've ruined the image of Italian football across the world and have destroyed many footballers and their families."

He continued: "I just hope that sporting justice can assess things more sensibly, it's the right of all citizens to have a good defence.

"I'm speechless, I know I'm clean, I just had the misfortune to receive a phonecall. And now my life is ruined.

"I don't know what to expect, now I just want to go home to my two children."