Juventus patron Andrea Agnelli said his relationship with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has ‘always been excellent’ and believes ‘time will resolve any misunderstanding’.
Juventus are making big changes at Continassa this summer, and patron Agnelli presented the new management at the Old Lady in a press conference.
Maurizio Arrivabene has been appointed new CEO of the club and Federico Cherubini has replaced Fabio Paraticis as the club’s sporting director.
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Agnelli spoke about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the breakaway Super League during the presentation.
“The Board of Directors has examined the impacts of COVID in recent seasons that are around €320m and has prepared guidelines for the increase of share capital up to €400m,” Agnelli said.
“Those of the pandemic are effects that have affected all companies.
“UEFA knows the whole situation in all leagues. UEFA estimates a liquidity need of around €8.5bn for the clubs.
“There’s a risk that around 120 clubs will be at risk of insolvency in the short term. Some operations have been announced on the debt side and I’m thinking of Barcelona, Inter, West Ham, Porto for significant amounts.
“Then there are capital increases such as Roma, Atletico Madrid and we are here too. We fit into this context, it’s important that the shareholders support the growth of this club. The ownership is one of the strengths of this club, I say this as President and a member of the family.”
Agnelli, who was at the forefront of the breakaway Super League, said Juventus have received a ‘letter from UEFA admitting us to the next Champions League’ but wanted to focus on the theme of presenting the new management.
“We have received with serenity the letter from UEFA admitting us to the next Champions League. On our part there’s a willingness to talk and we are not afraid of the threats that have been made in recent months and we are convinced that legal actions will lead to successes.
“The verse of success will be there when the dialogue resumes. Today’s theme is the presentation of the new sports team.”
Agnelli then spoke of his relationship with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and believes ‘time will resolve any misunderstanding’.
“I have always had an excellent relationship with President Ceferin, I continue to admire him as a person,” Agnelli added. “Having said that, when you work in the business world, you know what it means to sign an NDA, a non-disclosure agreement, it puts you in the position of not being able to communicate certain hypotheses to whom one is working with.
“I believe that with the immediate resignation from my positions, I have acted in the most correct way possible.
“Alex remains a person who has my admiration and is my daughter’s Godfather. I’m convinced that time will resolve any misunderstanding that there was.”