Juventus are handed a new 10-point deduction in Serie A by the FIGC Court of Appeal for their case of inflated capital gains from transfer dealings. The club successfully appealed their initial 15-point deduction only last month taking them back to the top-four. However, the new ruling throws them out of any European places let alone the Champions League. The decision came on Monday, 22 May 2023, the same night the Bianconeri lost 4-1 to Empoli at the Carlo Castellani.
The Old Lady of Turin put out a statement that they have taken note of the punishment and have the right to file a new appeal to the court again. Juventus went on to add that this was established by the fifth instance of the judgement in this matter which began more than a year ago. It arouses great bitterness in the club and in its millions of supporters who, in the absence of clear rules, find themselves extremely penalized with the application of sanctions that do not seem to take into account the principle of proportionality. The club have never shied away from the proceedings and while not ignoring the need for urgency, it is emphasized that these are facts that still have to be evaluated by a judge.
New point deduction
The 15-point deduction in January this year was only temporarily suspended in April on appeal after a few of the board members like Pavel Nedved were cleared off the case. Others like Andre Agnelli, Fabio Paratici, Federico Cherubini and Mauricio Arrivabene received a ban from football activities with their appeals rejected. The board members also stepped down from their roles in the club last November following an investigation into the false accounting.
An appeal of 11-point deduction, earlier nine, was requested by the federation prosecutor Giuseppe Chine in the new trial. The court ultimately decided to reduce it to 10 points. The new point deduction means Juventus have dropped from the second spot to seventh in the Serie A standings. The 4-1 loss to Empoli maintained the five-point gap with the final Champions League qualifying place in the top four, currently held by Milan. Max Allegri’s side remains three points behind the Europa League spot and a point behind AS Roma in sixth for a Europa Conference League qualifiers place.
What’s next for Juventus?
There are only two rounds left in the 2022/23 Serie A season and Juventus' worry gets even bigger. They will battle fourth-placed Milan in a crucial tie next week to close down the gap with the top four. This will be their last home fixture of the campaign. In the final round, Juve will travel to Udinese on 4 June 2023. The Bianconeri have no other way of returning to the Champions League other than finishing in the top four in Serie A.
Juventus exited the Europa League from the semi-final stage, winning the competition would have given them a direct entry to the premier competition, against Sevilla who defeated them 3-2 on aggregate. Dusan Vlahovic’s opener at Sanchez Pizjuan after a 1-1 draw in the first leg was cancelled out by strikes from Suso and Erik Lamela.
Rest of the clubs
Juventus’ new points-penalty changes the standings of other clubs in the European football race in the Serie A table. Lazio climbed back to the second spot they hold during the Bianconeri’s initial punishment gaining much-needed oxygen in claiming Champions League football next season. Maurizio Sarri’s side struggled recently with only one win in six but now find themselves seven points clear of fifth-placed Atalanta after the recent ruling.
Milan were also rewarded after they enter the top four following their poor run of form that kept them out of Champions League contention. Although, the Rossonerri do not have a great amount of comfort as they only have a three-point lead in fourth place but are two points behind city rivals Inter in third. Fifth-placed Atalanta and Roma in sixth are in real danger of falling out of European place should they falter in the final two matches of the season and Juventus win their rest.
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