This the first smart thing I have heard Berlusconi say
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Berlusconi Hits Out At Trial Silvio Berlusconi, the president of AC Milan and former prime minister of Italy, has criticised the current Serie A match-fixing trial, saying that the clubs and their supporters should not be punished by relegation.
Berlusconi says relegation is not a suitable punishment for any of the four clubs - including Milan - who are accused of wrong-doing.
His view is that neither his own club nor Juventus, Lazio or Fiorentina should be punished by relegation as it would hurt the players and fans who were not involved in the corruption.
"The eventual punishments shouldn't hit players or penalise fans who have no responsibility whatsoever," Berlusconi told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I am against relegation and I don't speak just as president of Milan.
"Should Juve be relegated it would hinder other clubs that would lose the revenue they take when they play against a team like Juventus.
"One also has to think of the damage this would create to sponsors and television companies that have signed contracts with these clubs."
Berlusconi also slammed the trial itself, saying the way it is being conducted is unfair.
"The judges have not listened to all the telephone conversations," he said.
"Not all the testimonies have been heard and the results on the pitch have given a different perception of what took place.
"In all of this story there has never been a smell of money, that is why you cannot really speak of corruption in those terms."
Berlusconi wants the punishments to be limited to those officials and referees involved.
"Let's leave the players and the fans out of it and hit those who are really responsible, the executives and the referees," he said.
"But with a serious and fair trial, different to what we are witnessing."
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...it looks like he is helping us...but the relegation would really destroy the Italian football.
