UEFA are reportedly preparing to punish Juventus with exclusion from European competitions due to their alleged falsified capital gains.
La Gazzetta dello Sport details how UEFA have been keeping a close eye on the Bianconeri’s legal troubles over the last year and have been carrying out their own investigation into the club’s financial practices, receiving countless documents from the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Juventus’ appeal to CONI’s Collegio di Garanzia against their 15-point deduction was partially successfully, being temporarily annulled pending a new sporting trial. UEFA are optimistic that a legal decision will be made in Italy by the end of June, but are planning to move should things take longer than expected.
What poses a real threat to Juventus is Financial Fair Play. Back in September 2022, the club were fined €3.5m by UEFA for violations of these rules, and they signed various agreements allowing them to avoid a further €19.5m fine. These agreements were based off balance sheets provided by the Old Lady, the same documents now at the centre of investigations by the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office and FIGC.
Should Juventus fail to qualify for the Champions League, Europa League or Europa Conference League, the urgency would be removed for UEFA, allowing them to wait for the Italian justice system. This would be problematic for the Bianconeri, however, as a possible exclusion from competition could be delayed to the 2024-25 season.
Should the Old Lady earn a spot in a European club competition, UEFA would have to make a move, likely before the end of July or start of August. Exclusion from these competitions is a likely outcome, due to the fact that the plea deal back in September was based off the suspicious balance sheets.
Why not both seasons?