Yesterday, it was sweet victory for Juventus, 2–1 on aggregate, over Sporting Lisbon to book their place in the semi-finals of the Europa Cup. When you knockout a team who beat the current English Premier League leaders in the previous round, I won't be the one to say that, it's not an impressive feat. Forza Juve!
Just before this match in Lisbon yesterday, Francesco Calvo, Juventus' Chief Football Officer(CFO) said,
"As of today, we finally have certainty and we expect that the points that have been given back to us will remain with us forever,"
Now this brings us to my blog title. It can be recalled that Juventus were hit with a massive 15-point deduction in January for accusations of false accounting, which also included bans handed to several members of their former board, including former president, Andrea Agnelli.
Here:
The latest news now is that this 15–point penalty was suspended on Thursday(20/4/23) and this has lifted the Old Lady up to third in Serie A table from seventh.
This followed a three-hour hearing the previous day, which proved rather inconclusive, so the case has now been reverted to the football federation's appeals court and Juventus were handed back the points pending the new trial. A new tial and all it entails is unlikely to conclude before the end of the season, and so if there would be any penalty it would be for the following season.
Francesco Calvo, the club's CFO also said concerning the ruling, that the club is delighted as to how the decision rearranges the Serie A table, as it provides clarity in the battle for Champions league spot for Juventus and others in the mix.
So what he is saying is that in 3rd place, Juventus is just two points behind second-placed Sarri's Lazio and three ahead of fourth-placed Roma in a tight battle for the Champions League qualifying places. Defending champions AC Milan have thus been shifted out of the top four and are only two points ahead of town rivals, Inter Milan. It's some battle there.
Some Background
The background to this new ruling was that Juventus denied wrongdoing and thus took their appeal to Italy's highest sports court within the Italian Olympic Committee, known as CONI.
Of note is that, several of the suspensions were upheld, including for former president, Agnelli and Tottenham director, Fabio Paratici. However, legendary former Juve footballer, Pavel Nedvěd was one of six former board members to have their appeals accepted.
Paratici was handed a hefty 30-month suspension that was extended worldwide by FIFA last month. Tottenham had to follow-up by announcing that he would step back from his director of football role with immediate effect pending the result of this appeal. The appeal result is out and Paratici was unsuccessful and now has tendered his resignation at Spurs, as per Fabrizio Romano.
Juventus, Agnelli and 11 others face charges of false communications by a company listed publicly on the Milan stock exchange, obstructing watchdog agencies, false billing and market manipulation.
I guess what's important for Juventus' fans today, is that there is some reprieve and their storied team can breathe a lot better now. Some fans even want more than the I5 points given back to them as compensation for the trauma they faced.[smiles]
Cheers