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Conte seeks fast trial before move

LONDON — Antonio Conte, who is expected to be appointed as Chelsea’s next permanent manager in June, has asked for his trial in a case over match-fixing to be expedited.

Antonio Conte still strongly denies any involvement in the match-fixing allegations. Photo: Getty Images

Antonio Conte still strongly denies any involvement in the match-fixing allegations. Photo: Getty Images

LONDON — Antonio Conte, who is expected to be appointed as Chelsea’s next permanent manager in June, has asked for his trial in a case over match-fixing to be expedited.

Conte has been accused of failing to report a fix against Albinoleffe when he was coach of Italian side Siena in 2011, a charge he has always strongly denied. A new round of trials has called on Conte to give evidence, but the Italian is requesting a fast-track trial to leave himself clear of any accusations before he potentially takes over at Chelsea.

It is thought the former Juventus coach will discover today whether his request to have the trial expedited has been successful.

Aside from his likely appointment at Chelsea, Conte will also want the matter to be dealt with in plenty of time before he leads the Italy national team at this June’s European Championship in France.

The appointment of Conte, 46, as Chelsea’s manager for next season could be sealed this week at a meeting with Blues owner Roman Abramovich in Monte Carlo.

The reigning English champions, now under the tutelage of caretaker manager Guus Hiddink, are facing French champions Paris St-Germain in a Champions League Round of 16 second-leg clash at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.

Hiddink has urged his men to channel their anger properly and focus on being “tough underdogs” when they host the Ligue 1 leaders.

The Blues will need to turn around a 2-1 deficit from their first-leg loss at Parc des Princes last month to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

“We are not the favourites. We have regained confidence and have quality, but PSG can rest five, six or seven players,” Hiddink told British media.

“But let’s be very tough underdogs. We need to be angry in a controlled way on Wednesday. The players must be fully concentrated.”

A poor Premier League season for Chelsea, who are 10th in the table after 29 games, 10 points off the final Champions League spot, has meant winning Europe’s most prestigious club competition appears their only hope of playing in next season’s tournament.

Former Chelsea defender David Luiz, who won the Champions League with the Blues in 2012 and scored for PSG at Stamford Bridge last season, told uefa.com on Monday he will always have an affection for Chelsea after three seasons there. But he wanted to see PSG win.

“My respect, my love for Chelsea, will always be the same”, said the Brazil international, “but I hope we can come out as winners there.

“London was a city where I was very happy. I had some great moments there, but I am focused on my work, which is to play for PSG.”

PSG arrive on the back of some poor results after suffering their first Ligue 1 defeat in almost a year when they lost 2-1 at Olympique Lyonnais last weekend and drew 0-0 at home with Montpellier on Saturday.

Coach Laurent Blanc will probably have to replace key midfielder Marco Verratti with Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore because Verratti has a recurring groin problem.

France midfielder Blaise Matuidi should be fit after recovering from a thigh injury, while Lucas is expected to start on the left flank of the attack instead of Edinson Cavani, who scored PSG’s winning goal in Paris three weeks ago. AGENCIES

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Chelsea vs Paris St-Germain,

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