TURIN, Italy, June 27, 2006 (AFP) – Italian giants Juventus’ problems deepened on Tuesday as team manager Gianluca Pessotto was described as being in a critical condition after jumping from his second floor office in an apparent suicide attempt.
The 35-year-old former Italy international defender, who was appointed to the post only last month, apparently climbed onto the window sill of his office, holding a set of rosary beads, and jumped off bouncing off one car and onto another.
He was treated at the scene almost immediately and then taken by ambulance to the Le Molinette hospital suffering from multiple fractures.
Pessotto, who won the 1996 Champions League with Juventus and played for them for 11 seasons retiring at the end of the last campaign, had apparently been on his own in his office at Juventus Football club at the time of his fall.
Juventus are due to face a sports tribunal this week over the matchfixing scandal that has engulfed Italian football.
The row also involves Lazio, Fiorentina and AC Milan although reports suggest that five smaller clubs Empoli, Siena, Messina, Reggina and Lecce are also set to be charged.
News of Pessotto’s hospitalization reached the Italian World Cup camp in Germany and a press conference called on the day after the team defeated Australia 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the competition was cut short.
