Juventus say they are ‘perplexed’ by the decision to close the Curva Sud in Juventus Stadium for Saturday’s match against Chievo.
CONI, the Italian National Olympic Committee, has decided that the stand should be closed for the match as punishment for an explosive device being thrown during last season’s Derby della Mole.
Juventus say they are ‘perplexed’ by the decision to close the Curva Sud in Juventus Stadium for Saturday’s match against Chievo.
CONI, the Italian National Olympic Committee, has decided that the stand should be closed for the match as punishment for an explosive device being thrown during last season’s Derby della Mole.
The Old Lady lost their final appeal against a ban on Thursday and today released a statement underlining their frustration at the decision.
“Juventus Football Club is greatly perplexed by the decision reached today by the Italian National Olympic Committee to close the South Stand for this Saturday’s match between Juventus and Chievo,” read the statement on the club’s official website.
“This decision impacts on Juventus and a section of its season ticket holders despite the fact that the perpetrator is not a Juventus season ticket holder and was not in possession of a ticket for the Turin derby at the Stadio Olimpico.
“Juventus emphasises the urgent need to ensure that all stadia in Serie A meet common security and technological requirements so that deplorable incidents, such as the one which occurred in Turin’s Stadio Olimpico, can be quickly stamped out of the game. Nothing has happened so far since that day in April.
“The club has therefore decided against reprising ‘Gioca con Me – Tifa con me’ (‘Play with Me – Cheer with Me’), an initiative that in previous years has brought thousands of children to the stadium, notwithstanding the similar circumstances.”