Calciopoli Watch: I Was Never Put Under Pressure To Influence Games - Pierluigi Collina Tells Trial In Naples

Former Serie A referee Pierluigi Collina said he felt no pressure from designators and other figures when refereeing games as the Calcipoli trial in Naples resumed following the summer recess.

Collina told the court how he was never pressured into influencing the results of key fixtures between 2004 and 2006 as Luciano Moggi's legal team called a number of witnesses to give evidence.

FIGC president Giancarlo Abete, general director Antonello Valentini, Collina, Milan chief Adriano Galliani and Luciano Moggi were all present.

But the emphasis focussed on Collina as Moggi's lawyers fired away with the questions.

"I never received any pressure from the designtors to favour Fiorentina," Collina told the court in relation to Juventus' 3-3 draw against the Viola in 2005 in which Fabio Cannavaro had a goal disallowed.

"Was there an issue about Cannavaro's goal or non goal? Yes, the assistant said the ball had never crossed the line and play continued.

"I remember the coach of Juventus [Fabio Capello] said the ball crossed the line, but after the game I had another look and I don't know whether it had gone in. It depends how you look at it."

Ex-referee Daniele Tombolini was also questioned as to whether the ex designators Paolo Bergamo and Pierluigi Pairetto pressured him to influence games.

"Pressure from Bergamo to referee in a certain way? No. Did Pairetto ever tell me to favour any team? No, never," the court heard.

Journalist Fulvio Bianchi, who took part in the draws for referees taking matches said he never suspected any irregularities in terms of certain referees being appointed for certain teams and games - a hot potato at the trial.

"I remember picking Racalbuto for Roma - Inter, he refereed poorly, but the draw was regular. There was not hot or cold balls or any pressure otherwise I would have informed the notary," said Bianchi.

Former Roma director Franco Baldini was also summoned. He explained how relations with Moggi deteriorated.

"We had a formal relationship. Was it good or bad? none of those. It was normal," Baldini told Moggi's lawyer Maurilio Prioreschi.

"Did I say they were poor? It became poor."

The trial continues on October 12 when Inter president Massimo Moratti is expected to give evidence into the wiretaps that show a number of figures from the club at the time had spoken with referees and designators.

Moggi's lawyers presented another 120 calls to the court today, but the judges will decide whether to accept the evidence at the next hearing.

Meanwhile, the FIGC's own investigation, a sports inquiry similar to that that saw Juventus stripped of the their 2006 titles has begun in Roma.

FIGC investigator Stefano Palazzi is looking into the calls that emerged in Naples after they were transcripted during the summer by an independant investigator and acquired by the association, keeping one eye on how the trial unfolds in Naples.

The FIGC had promised to launch their own probe into the way the titles were revoked and assigned during the original sports investigation in 2006 following the evidence which involves Inter.