Juventus President Andrea Agnelli blasted Italian football chiefs, accusing Manchester City and PSG of “financial doping.”
The patron sat down with German magazine Die Zeit ahead of Juve’s Champions League visit to Borussia Dortmund.
“I am not the leader of the opposition in Italian football, because we don’t have a Government,” said Agnelli.
Juventus President Andrea Agnelli blasted Italian football chiefs, accusing Manchester City and PSG of “financial doping.”
The patron sat down with German magazine Die Zeit ahead of Juve’s Champions League visit to Borussia Dortmund.
“I am not the leader of the opposition in Italian football, because we don’t have a Government,” said Agnelli.
“Nothing happens without a meeting of the Presidents. The Lega Serie A itself is weak and has no authority, nor its own management. This leads to a less transparent situation, for example with TV rights, and a conflict of interest.
“We ought to change some of our ideas and behaviour. With few exceptions, the Presidents are all 60-70 years old. There are few in their 40s.”
Agnelli also warned the bankruptcy of Parma, who needed a €5m bailout package from the Lega Serie A just to finish the season, is “the tip of the iceberg.
“The fact a club can reach this point is down to the bad management of Italian football. I am not worried what people in Italy think of the country, but I am worried by what you overseas think of us.
“Old stadiums are one of the causes of this crisis, I agree 100 per cent. It is our generation’s job to leave our children with a different football, one that is better and more transparent, but also a better country.
“Without doubt there are differences between me and other Serie A Presidents. In my view it should be run like the Premier League by people who bring the League forward as a product with a strategy to develop and export our football.
“In James Pallotta, the Roma President, we have found an ally. Are more foreign investors welcome? I don’t care where the investment comes from, but I can assure you Juve will remain Italian.”
Juve have arguably the worst reputation abroad because of the Calciopoli scandal, which saw them stripped of two Serie A titles and demoted in 2006.
“It’s not right to say we’ve been rehabilitated. We accepted the sentence of the sporting trial, but that was all done in a month and new information emerged afterwards that was not taken into consideration.
“Three years ago we presented a request for damages worth €443m on lost income. We are waiting for the hearing.”
Agnelli also blasted the massive clubs who have challenged the Financial Fair Play regulations.
“At this moment there are four clubs who are beyond compare in terms of revenue: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
“They are followed by PSG and Manchester City, who however operate on a system of financial doping. If we take those two clubs out of the table, Juventus rise to eighth place. My objective is to reach fifth position in three or four years.”
Juventus also want to climb up the pecking order in the Champions League, starting with the Round of 16 against Borussia Dortmund.
“We are Juventus. We have to win every game.”