3. Match Fixing
Controversial calls have long been a part of the beautiful game, but after news that hundreds of fixtures are under investigation for match fixing, many fans are now going to be glaring suspiciously at the results. Back in 2006, the Calciopoli match fixing scandal erupted in Italy, involving football administrators collaborating with league officials in an effort to place certain referees in charge of specific matches. The harshest punishment was for Juventus director Luciano Moggi who received a lifetime ban for his role in the scandal, while his team was stripped of titles and relegated to the second division, and rightly so. Italy went on to win the World Cup that year and the stigma seems to have faded until now. Europol has just announced an international match fixing investigation including Champions League games, World Cup qualifiers, and league fixtures, stating that some games under investigation include those on English soil, a place where many thought there had been no such corruption. Among those implicated are players, so no longer does the blame fall solely on match officials - and while top footballers may not partake in such corruption, those that may make less money could well appreciate the financial incentive offered through this illegal channel. We can only hope the Premier League doesn't see revelations like those that rocked Italian football's core.