Antonio Conte has been replaced in the Spurs dugout by long-time friend Cristian Stellini, who was once banned for two years in Italy for alleged match fixing.
When he was at Juventus, Tottenham’s new manager was sentenced to a two-year ban for match-fixing allegations.
Cristian Stellini, 48, was named Tottenham‘s interim manager after Antonio Conte left the club by mutual consent on Sunday. Conte’s days were numbered when he slammed the Spurs squad, owner, and the club’s achievements over the years after they blew a 2-0 lead against Southampton to draw 2-2.
Conte’s departure propelled his friend Stellini, who has been by his side since his time in Serie A, into Spurs’ managerial hot seat. However, Stellini was sentenced to a lengthy ban for alleged match-fixing, prompting his resignation from his position as technical assistant at Juventus in 2012.
The investigation into match-fixing began in 2011, after Stellini was accused of accepting money to influence the outcome of the team’s match against Salernitana. Stellini, who was later banned for two years, maintained his innocence throughout the game, which Bari won 3-1.
“The events of the last month have deeply affected me,” Stellini’s resignation letter read at the time of the alleged crime, according to Football Italia. In a short period of time, I went from being a member of the technical staff of Italy’s champions to causing havoc among those I worked with.
“Regardless of how the legal situation evolves, I believe it is only right to maintain a professional demeanor and release this weight from Juventus that has fallen on the club’s shoulders due to my time elsewhere in my career.”
“I think it is right to dedicate all my time and efforts to clearing my position in these matters, which are exclusively about me and not those I simply shared a locker room with. I therefore tend my irrevocable resignation as technical assistant at Juventus.”
However, after serving his suspension, Stellini rejoined Conte at Inter for the 2019/20 season, where he won the Scudetto. They first worked together at Siena in the 2005/06 season, prior to Stellini’s betting scandal with Juve and Inter’s title win.
Stellini then followed Conte to Tottenham in 2021, but it appears that he will not be joining Conte in his next role after taking over at Tottenham. However, he could be the right man to lead Spurs to a Champions League spot after maintaining a 100% winning record in Inter’s dugout while the club’s manager served a touchline ban in 2021.
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