Juventus on Monday were docked 10 points for the current Serie A season after a new ruling by an Italian soccer court in a case centered on the club’s transfer dealings, Italy’s Football Association (FIGC) said.
After a 4-1 defeat at Empoli on Monday, leaving Juve with two matches to play this season, the deduction pushes the Turin club, Italy’s most successful soccer team, down from second to seventh place in the top-flight standings on 59 points.
That means Juventus are currently out of the qualifying spots for next season’s lucrative European competitions.
After Monday’s ruling — based on charges that the club artificially inflated the values of players as part of false accounting practices — Juve said in a statement they “take note” of the decision by the soccer court “and reserve the right” to file a new appeal at Italy’s Sports Guarantee Board.
The FIGC court also issued non-guilty verdicts for seven ex-Juventus executives, including Czech former vice-chairman and midfield player Pavel Nedved.
Juve was handed a 15-point penalty in January that was later scrapped by the country’s top sports body, which ordered soccer authorities to hold a new hearing resulting in Monday’s decision.
In the hearing that preceded the latest ruling, a soccer prosecutor had asked for Juventus to have 11 points deducted, according to two sources close to the matter.
NEW PENALTIES
Juve, controlled by Exor, the holding company of Italy’s Agnelli family, face potential further sporting penalties, including more points deductions, in a separate case the FIGC is conducting over alleged irregularities in the club’s payments to players as well as undue relationships with players’ agents and other clubs.
The FIGC last week ordered a new sports trial against Juventus. A hearing is scheduled for June 15, according to ANSA.
It is not yet clear if any potential penalties which could be applied in this new sports trial will affect the current Serie A season or the next one.
Inquiries by sports authorities were triggered by investigations from criminal prosecutors in Turin, where the club is based, in a case regarding alleged false accounting.
As part of this case, former Chairman Andrea Agnelli, 11 other people and the club itself risk standing trial.
Juventus have denied any wrongdoing and said their accounting is in line with industry standards.