Former AC Milan star Gennaro Gattuso has declared that he would kill himself in the street if found guilty of match fixing.
On Tuesday Italian prosecutors named the World Cup winner as a suspect in a widespread investigation, claiming they have evidence which shows the midfielder was contacted by a go-between working on behalf of a match-rigging gang.
However, in typical Gattuso style, the combative Italian denied the accusations.
"I am prepared to go into the town square and kill myself in front of everyone if I should be found guilty of such a crime," declared Gattuso.
"After all, my life would be meaningless from that point on. I would not have the courage to look anyone in the eye. I say that from the heart.
"In my life, I have never sat down with anyone to fix games, nor have I ever thought to, as I wouldn’t even know where to start.
"I don’t even play five-a-side football with my friends because I can’t stand losing. This matter is absurd and unbelievable.
"I don’t know what they want from me. I don’t know what match-fixing is.
"I am angry and offended. I do not want to have this stain on my career and my character."
The 35-year-old was named in a prosecutor's report released to the Italian media on Tuesday.
The two-time Champions League winner had his home raided as part of a widespread move by Operation Last Bet, which also saw four men arrested.
One of the four arrested was Francesco Bazzani, someone Gattuso had sent 13 texts to according to the prosecutor's report.
Former Lazio player Cristian Brocchi is another who was in contact with Bazzani.
Prosecutor Roberto di Martino explained the findings on Tuesday.
"Gattuso and Brocchi were connected to the case by the use of phone taps.
"We’ve made four arrests and 16 searches. Some of these searches have produced a positive outcome.
"We found notes and notebooks whose contents were based on betting."
Gattuso's home was raid on the evidence of phone calls and texts that, according to the report, cast suspicion over him.
The report, which focuses heavily on Milan’s title-winning season of 2010-11, reads: "There were contacts on the occasion of the match between Chievo and Milan on February 20, 2011.
"The analysis of telephone contacts of Bazzani, at the mentioned match, has revealed the singular coincidence of a contact (SMS outbound) with a user name to AC Millan footballer Gattuso."
But Gattuso strongly denies the links between him and Bazzani.
"The phone records show Bazzani sent me 13 text messages. They will, therefore, also show I never replied to any of them," the Italian protested.
"This man knows half of Serie A, he came to the Milanello gates like many hundreds of others.
"He was a bookmaker in Bologna, but I never talked about fixing games.
"Match-fixing is just not part of who I am. I made some bets when it was still allowed, but as soon as it was barred for professionals, I stopped. No problem.
"I am accused not of placing bets, but of fixing games, and I can’t understand how they can do that.
"I was in Naples, so only found out about the raid from my wife, after police took me in to sign some papers.
"I hope the magistrate calls me in soon because I want to clarify my position.
"I had also been dragged into this affair two years ago. I am convinced and fully aware of my innocence.
"I spent my entire career working hard.
"I have a foundation that allowed me to give away £1.25million to help children and then people suggest I fixed games to earn more? It just doesn’t make sense."
