A report from La Gazzetta dello Sport claims UEFA are preparing to exclude Juventus from European competitions following the investigation into their alleged capital gains. The Bianconeri have been embroiled in two recent scandals, the first involving their alleged use of inflated player values and the second relating to alleged under the table payment of player salaries during the Covid pandemic.
Gazzetta claim that UEFA have been monitoring the situation in Turin over the last year and have conducted their own investigation into the clubs financial practices, parallel to the investigation by the FIGC. The report also outlines how the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office has sent documents related to the investigation to Nyon in order for UEFA to impose their own punishment on the Bianconeri.
The report states Juventus risk missing out on Europe for a season, and how winning the Europa League this year ‘would not change anything for the Nyon judges, but it would be essential in order not to serve a possible disqualification in two years, thus lengthening purgatory.‘
Gazzetta write:
The first ‘crossroads’ concerns the qualification (or otherwise) of Juve for the cups. If the Bianconeri don’t make it — because they finish beyond sixth or seventh place, because they don’t win the Coppa Italia or the Europa League… — the urgency disappears. UEFA will be able to afford to wait for the conclusions of the Italian justice system. However, it would be a problem for Juve: given that the punishments are served in the first “useful” season. If, on the other hand, Juve wins a place for one of the three cups, the scenario changes.
If Juve were to secure a place in next seasons European competitions, after the Champions League final, on 10 June in Istanbul, UEFA will have to define the list of all the teams registered for the Champions League, Europe and the Conference League. Of course, no one is deluded that the trial history is closed for that day. Next to the name Juve, we will have a question mark. UEFA can give Italy another couple of months or so, let’s say until the end of July/beginning of August. Not further, because at the end of August (24 and 31) an Italian team will have to make its debut in the Conference playoffs. And so what?
For some time now, UEFA has been carrying out a parallel and independent investigation with respect to the Italian one. They have already received all the documents from the Turin prosecutor’s office. In Nyon they are quite optimistic about the fact that the Italian decision on their investigations can arrive by the end of June, a plea deal would speed things up. In any case, the Coni guarantee college confirmed the convictions of the managers and the anti-sportsmanship (the famous article 4): a new motivation and a reduced penalty are expected. However, if the Italian justice goes slowly, then the UEFA Fair Play commission will decide.
Juve previously negotiated a Financial Fair Play agreement with UEFA because they were outside the parameters. If the investigation were to prove that the figures disclosed are false, the plea deal would not have been granted. Or maybe not under those conditions, and it would be virtually impossible to escape punishment. This is a serious case. Milan were also out of the parameters while PSG and City inflated sponsor values, but the revenue was real. Here, in Juve’s case, it would be false financial statements communicated to auditors, shareholders, FIGC, UEFA. The spectre of a disqualification looms, naturally starting with the first cup for which Juve qualifies. That’s why a success in the Europa League , or a useful placement in the league, would be essential.
No one today can say exactly what will happen. A process involves two degrees of judgment and then the CAS, the Cassation of sport which has often surprised with its decisions. But it’s not over. Then there would be the second line of inquiry, the one on salaries (Prisma). And, above all, the Superlega question. If the EU Court confirmed the opinion of Advocate General Rantos, there would be freedom to organize a Super League, however incompatible with the Champions League. Either one or the other. And therefore Juve, Real and Barcelona should choose which one to give up. Today it seems like science fiction to imagine a Champions League without three of its historic protagonists. Everyone would lose: the rebel clubs, UEFA and football.
