Incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte acquitted by Italian judge in match-fixing case

Incoming Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has been cleared to take charge of the Stamford Bridge club in the summer after being acquitted of all charges pertaining to sporting fraud, an Italian judge has announced.

The 46-year-old Italy national team coach, had been accused of failing to report his knowledge of an incident of attempted match-fixing during his time as Siena boss in 2011.

Cremona-based prosecutor Roberto Di Martino had asked for Conte to be handed a suspended six-month prison sentence and fined 8,000 euros (£6,300), but the former Juventus coach, represented by lawyers, was on Monday acquitted by judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi during a preliminary hearing.

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio welcomed the decision, telling Italian newspaper Il Sole: "I am highly satisfied with the court's acquittal of Antonio Conte.

"Finally his position has been clarified and my confidence in him has never been in question. Now we are all the more focused on the Euros."

In 2012 Conte, who has always denied any wrongdoing, served a four-month ban imposed by the FIGC in connection with the case, which is known in Italy as 'Calcioscommesse'.