Cristiano Ronaldo bagged 31 goals last season to win the Premier League golden boot. Can anyone stop him this time around?

Atalanta have been cleared of claims they attempted to fix last season’s two Serie A games against Livorno, Italy’s football federation (FIGC) has confirmed.

An FIGC disciplinary commission also cleared Atalanta player Gian Paolo Bellini, saying there was no proof he was guilty of seeking to fix the results with former Livorno captain David Balleri.

Balleri, now with fourth-tier team Como, was found guilty of the less serious charge of “sporting disloyalty” and banned for four months while Livorno were fined €25,000 for their former player’s behaviour.

“I’ll appeal. I don’t deserve it,” Balleri was quoted as saying on La Gazzetta dello Sport’s website.

FIGC prosecutors had asked for the two clubs to be handed six-point deductions next season and for Bellini and Balleri to be banned for three years.

The commission said that after the second of the two matches, which Atalanta won 3-2 on May 4, Balleri insulted Bellini saying he had asked for a draw in the December 23 fixture which ended 1-1.

Livorno brothers Emanuele and Antonio Filippini and team mate Alessandro Grandoni were cleared of charges of failing to inform the authorities about the alleged fix.

Cristiano Ronaldo bagged 31 goals last season to win the Premier League golden boot. Can anyone stop him this time around?