Atalanta captain Cristiano Doni is in shock over his three-year ban for his alleged role in Italy's betting scandal.

The forward was suspended for three and a half years, while teammate Thomas Manfredini earned a three-year ban for their part in alleged match-fixing.

Their actions will see the club begin this Serie A season from -6 points.

"I am disappointed and cannot stay silent," Doni wrote on Atalantini.com. "The sentence condemning Manfredini and myself left me open-mouthed with shock. Reading the reasons given for the bans had me speechless.

"We want justice. We don't want to pay the price for what is an exemplary ban warning others. We want those who made the mistakes to pay.

"We have nothing to do with this whole affair. I don't know any of the characters in this saga, but am being punished because I was friends with Nicola Santoni.

"Believe me, if I was guilty, then I would pay. I wouldn't even go to defend myself.

"Just the idea that someone in Bergamo can think I'm involved in something that would hurt Atalanta truly hurts me inside."