Shortly before the end of the season, Juventus Turin was punished with a heavy point deduction for financial offenses.
Ten points in Serie A were deducted from the Italian record champions, which puts Juve’s participation in the Champions League in autumn in jeopardy.
The supreme court of the football association FIGC passed the verdict on Monday, falling just short of the eleven points deduction demanded by chief prosecutor Giuseppe Chinè.
The case concerns the allegation that Juventus has falsified the market values of its players for years and is said to have booked excessive sums in transfers or barter transactions with other clubs. The association court had therefore sentenced the Turiners to a 15-point penalty at the beginning of the year. The club took action before the highest Italian sports court and were initially successful – the judges of the National Olympic Committee (Coni) overturned the sentence, but referred the case back to the FIGC chamber for a new verdict.
Seven former Juve managers who were also accused, such as ex-professional Pavel Nedved, who were banned in the first trial, were acquitted this time. The former club bosses around President Andrea Agnelli had already been suspended at the beginning of the year – the highest Coni sports court had not revised their sentence either.
Champions League in danger – bankruptcy against Empoli
Juventus slipped out of the four Champions League places in the Serie A table and is now only seventh with two rounds to go. Due to the 1:4 (0:2) bankruptcy of the old ladies immediately after the appeal judgment was announced, the gap to fourth-placed AC Milan is five points.
A beneficiary of Turin’s points deduction is the previous third Lazio Roma. The capital club is now in second place behind the new champions SSC Naples and can no longer be pushed out of the Champions League places. Before Juventus, Atalanta Bergamo and Europa League finalist AS Roma can also calculate chances of qualifying for the premier class.
In Empoli, the Juve team seemed really in shock. Already after 21 minutes the guests were 0:2 behind. Francesco Capouto (18′, penalty kick after video evidence) and Sebastiano Luperto (21′) ensured the home side’s lead at the break. After the break, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s players were again thinking elsewhere than on the pitch, and Caputo again used the lack of concentration on the Turin defense to score his second goal and decide.
As a result, Turin reared up too late. Federico Chiesa’s goal four minutes before the end of regular time was unable to initiate a comeback. Roberto Piccoli made the final score in added time (90′ + 2′).