Juventus has rocketed up and down the Serie A table this season, and only some of that has been related to the club’s on-field performance.
On Monday the club received word that an Italian court had imposed a 10-point penalty for the ongoing “Plusvalenza” scandal, which allegedly saw Juventus inflate player transfer valuations in order to boost capital gains.
The club was originally hit with a 15-point penalty in January, which was reversed last month. Juventus jumped up from seventh in the league table to third after that reversal but after Monday’s 10-point deduction, the club dropped from second spot to seventh.
Following the news on Monday, Juventus subsequently lost 4-1 to Empoli in a result that further damaged its Champions League hopes.
Is this all over? Maybe! In a statement, Juventus expressed its disappointment with the ruling while adding it could still appeal.
“What was established by the fifth instance of judgment in this matter, which began more than a year ago, arouses great bitterness in the club and in its millions of supporters who, in the absence of clear rules, find themselves extremely penalized with the application of sanctions that do not seem to take into account the principle of proportionality,” the club said.
“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 still have to be evaluated by a judge.”
In November, the club’s entire board resigned amid ongoing scandals, including president Andrea Agnelli.
Last week, the club’s legal issues increased when the Italian federation charged Juventus and seven former team directors with alleged fraud for their handling of player salary cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.
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