Guido Rossi, a sports law expert with a background as a financial regulator, was named as "extraordinary commissioner" of the Italian FA.

Rossi has his work cut out as the huge scandal currently surrounding Italian football shows no sign of abating.

Four teams, including champions Juventus, are under investigation for match-fixing and illegal betting.

Rossi's appointment follows a week that has seen the president of the Italian football federation Franco Carraro resign amid allegations that the governing body had allowed Juve to pick and choose referees for their games.

And on Sunday Juve's general manager Luciano Moggi quit ahead of his grilling by prosecutors in Rome on Monday.

The financial markets have been giving the Turin club's shares a hammering ever since the scandal broke.

As well as Moggi, the entire Juve board has resigned and with the focus of the match-fixing investigation clearly concentrated on the club the Turin giants face relegation to Italy's second flight next season if found guilty.

The Milan stock exchange suspended trading in Juve shares on Tuesday for the second day in succession when they slid a further 10% in value. Juve's market value has now fallen by over Ј40m, or 20%, in the last week.

Experts predict that Juve will lose at least Ј80m if they are relegated and stripped of their title and Champions League place.

Juventus, popularly known as "La Vecchia Signora" (The Old Lady), won their 29th Serie A title on Sunday after a thrilling finish to the season. A 2-0 win over Reggina saw them pip rivals AC Milan to the championship for the second straight season.