Manchester City are currently in the crosshairs of the Premier League, with their excessive spending since their UAE-backed takeover back in 2008 potentially landing them in hot water. Many Blues supporters are now wondering what happens next. One look at the latest betting odds could well provide the answer.
Online soccer odds providers suddenly make City an 8/5 shot to be relegated from the Premier League this season, despite the fact that the club has started the new campaign with a perfect five wins from five to top the table. Ironically, the bookies also make Enzo Maresca's men a 15/4 second-favorite to win the title, solely behind defending champions Arsenal, the 1/2 frontrunners.
Should the club ultimately be sent packing from the top flight by the powers that be, it would certainly be a jaw-dropper. But there is a precedent. Back in 2006, Italian giants Juventus were shockingly relegated to Serie B and were stripped of two Serie A titles as a result of their part in Calciopoli. The case was very much different to the one City currently find themselves embroiled in, but should the Blues suffer relegation as a result of it, the outcome could well end up being similar.
So, what happened to the Bianconeri all those years ago, and what could it mean for City in the coming months should the worst-case scenario come to fruition? Here is all you need to know.
The Exodus Begins
The first thing that happened at Juventus once their relegation to Serie B was confirmed was a mass exodus of its superstars. Star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic left for Inter Milan, with one-time City man Patrick Vieira following him to the Nerazzurri. Fabio Cannavaro had just captained Italy to World Cup glory and would win the Ballon d'Or later in the year, but he too departed, joining Real Madrid alongside defensive midfielder Emerson. Defenders Lilian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta meanwhile headed to Barcelona.
Loyal Stars Remain
While plenty of top stars left, a number of Juve's longest-serving players remained in Turin in a bid to lead their club back to glory. Captain and talisman Alessandro Del Piero was one of them, as was all-time great goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and winger Mauro Camoranesi, all three of whom played a crucial role alongside Cannavaro in leading Italy to that World Cup win in Berlin. Former Ballon d'Or winner Pavel Nedvěd also opted to remain in Turin, as did striker David Trezeguet and veteran defender Robert Kovač.
Youngsters Given a Chance
Rather than making a splash in the transfer market, Juve turned to their youth academy in a bid to flesh out their squad. 22-year-old defender Giorgio Chiellini would nail down a spot in the starting eleven after a breakthrough campaign the year prior. He would go on to become one of the greatest defenders in history across the next 15 years, but he may have never been given the opportunity had the Bianconeri not suffered relegation.
Central midfielder Claudio Marchisio was another who was handed an opportunity to star in the first team. He served his apprenticeship learning alongside Nedvěd in midfield, and he too would go on to develop into a fine player, featuring for the Italian national team 55 times, even scoring against England in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Opportunities were also handed to teenager Sebastian Giovinco, although he would have to wait for his true breakout campaign.
The Long Road Back
Despite being deducted nine points at the start of their 2006/07 Serie B season, Juventus would still romp to the title at a canter. France's World Cup-winning manager Didier Deschamps would take charge, and despite a shock 1-1 draw away at ten-man Rimini on the opening day of the season, the Frenchman would immediately galvanize his side.
Juve went unbeaten throughout their first 18 games, winning 12 of them and wiping out their points deduction in double quick time. They would then suffer a shock 1-0 defeat at Mantova after the turn of the year, before reeling off five wins in their next seven. Further losses would follow at Brescia, as well as back-to-back defeats at the end of the season at the hands of Bari and Spezia, but the Bianconeri still finished six points clear of Napoli as they claimed the title with ease.
Del Piero, as ever, was the star of the show. He netted 20 goals in the league, with Trezeguet helping himself to 15 and Nedvěd ten. But things wouldn't be so easy upon the club's return to Serie A.
The Wait for the Scudetto
Juventus finished third in their first season back in Serie A, then second the following year, with Del Piero continuing to do much of the leg work despite his advancing years. Once he could no longer carry the load, the Bianconeri slipped down the standings, finishing seventh in back-to-back seasons in 2009/10 and 2010/11.
The summer of 2011 brought with it a move to the state-of-the-art Allianz Stadium, and from there, Juventus were well and truly back. Antonio Conte was appointed as manager, and his 3-4-3 formation revolutionized Turin. Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, and veteran signing Andrea Barzagli provided one of the finest back lines Italian football had ever seen, while Buffon remained as imperious as ever in goal.
Playmaker Andrea Pirlo was signed on a free transfer from rivals AC Milan, while additional firepower was added in the form of Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri. And from there, Juve went from strength to strength.
The club would claim its first Scudetto since relegation in 2011/12, six years on from being dropped to Serie B. They would go on to win each of the next eight Serie A titles, ruling over football with an iron fist until 2020. Should City find themselves in a similar position next season, the blueprint on how to first climb out of the second tier and then return to the summit has already been laid, and it was laid in Turin.