Juve, Nyon is waiting for the Figc decisions, but Juve is at great risk in the Champions League

From our correspondent Fabio Licari

December 1st
– Doha (Qatar)

There is a risk, yes. Even in Europe. The risk that Juve’s Italian events have serious consequences in the Champions League. Because the two systems are inextricably linked. In fact, you qualify for the cups after having obtained the “Uefa license” from your federation. But if a license was won by maliciously omitting information, or by presenting false data, in any case altering the club’s balance sheet, then UEFA can intervene. And in case apply its sanctions, proportionate to the gravity of the case. All this talk is in the abstract: the specific Juve case hasn’t even begun, Nyon can only wait for the FIGC decisions. Of course, we also lacked this chapter in the very tense relationship between the Juventus club and UEFA, with the now imminent sentence of the EU Court on the Super League which, in one way or another, will have an impact on the football system.

fair play

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But Fair Play and Superlega are two totally separate topics. If the second is an ideological (and economic) clash that has turned into a rebellion against regulations, the first concerns compliance with financial rules. UEFA is watching: it will soon contact the FIGC and ask for information. In short, the usual path of collaboration will begin. Agnelli’s resignation suggests that it is not really something secondary. Naturally in Nyon they hope that the file opened by the federal prosecutor’s office will be closed as soon as possible, to clarify things immediately, even if that of capital gains is about to be added to the salary line. From Nyon, however, total caution. It wouldn’t be the first time a club has landed in a media blender, but then there’s no proof. Evidence is needed. If necessary, it must always be demonstrated that the club has fraudulently altered the data, or has provided false information, in order to obtain the license and qualify for the cups.

Sanctions

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The list of sanctions is extensive. It is the one envisaged by the Fair Play regulation (which today is called Financial Sustainability, but will always be Fair Play for everyone): ranging from fines to exclusion from cups. Any measure would not arrive before next season, 2023-24, provided that Juventus qualify on the field at the end of this troubled championship, with the World Cup in the middle, the Juve case that exploded in the last few hours. And the sentence of the EU Court expected for March, with the anticipation of December 15th of the opinion of the Advocate General, the Greek Athanasios Rantos. Not binding but, in eighty percent of cases, accepted by the Court. From the Court of Luxembourg, of course, no indiscretion. However, the opinion against the Superlega of 21 countries is not a negligible fact: the judges also act in a socio-political framework that they cannot ignore.

A22 rejected in Brussels

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But something is happening in Brussels, also thanks to the hyperactivism of the A22 agency and its CEO Bernd Reichart who are carrying forward the requests of the Super League (even if they officially declare themselves independent, well). The famous meeting in Nyon took place on 8 November with Uefa, Leagues, clubs and fans who had totally rejected the concept of Superlega and were surprised by the vagueness of the proposal (a generic new tournament) and by the fact that the A22 declared that he did not represent the three clubs. The A22 had also requested a meeting with the EU Commission in Brussels on 14 November. But on the eve, Friday 11, the Commission itself had decided to cancel the meeting. There is a rumor that she was annoyed by the A22 post Nyon press release which told of a different reality from the facts, not talking about the total opposition of the other football stakeholders. It’s not over. Reichart was also rejected with losses by the vice-president of the Commission, Schinas, a staunch opponent of the Superleague, and by the president of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture, Sabine Verheyen. Both denied the meeting.