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Juventus have been given a 10-point deduction in a new ruling from an Italian court investigating the club’s transfer deals.
Before the new ruling, Juventus were second behind Serie A champions Napoli with 69 points, but fell to seventh place, five points off a Champions League place.
The decision was announced just after the kick-off of the club’s Monday night match at Empoli – and perhaps influenced by the news, Juventus’ streak of three wins was brought to an abrupt halt by a 4-1 defeat to their hosts at center from the table. That result, combined with the new penalties, all but dash their top four hopes.
During a three-hour hearing on Monday, federal prosecutor Giuseppe Chine asked for an 11-point penalty for Juventus. He had asked for nine in January.
Chine also asked for an eight-month suspension for seven former Juventus directors, including Pavel Nedved, but all were acquitted by the Federal Court of Appeal. The ex-Juve winger and the rest of the club’s board had resigned en masse in November over the allegations.
Fabio Paratici, who resigned his position as director of football at Tottenham earlier this year due to a global ban on football over the scandal, has not been acquitted. Former chairman Agnelli and two others had also rejected appeals against their charges last month.
An official ruling read: “The Federal Court of Appeal hereby acquits Pavel Nedved, Paolo Garimberti, Assia Grazioli Venier, Caitlin Mary Hughes, Daniela Marilungo, Francesco Roncaglio and Enrico Vellano of the alleged infractions and imposes a 10-point deduction for Juventus in the standings, to be applied for the current season.”
In January, Juventus were deducted 15 Serie A points for alleged financial irregularities and false accounting, but that was later lifted.
Juventus said in a statement: “Juventus Football Club takes note of what has been decided by the FIGC Court of Appeal and reserves the right to read the reasons to evaluate a possible appeal to the CONI Guarantee Board.
“What has been established by the fifth instance of the verdict in this case, which began more than a year ago, arouses great bitterness among the club and its millions of supporters who, in the absence of clear rules, are extremely punished by the application. ” of sanctions that seem to take into account the principle of proportionality.
“While not ignoring the need for urgency, which Juventus has never shied away from during the proceedings, it is emphasized that these are facts that have yet to be assessed by a judge.”
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