Juventus News: Juventus has been dealt a significant blow by UEFA as they have been handed a one-year ban from European competitions for breaches of club licensing and financial fair play (FFP).
In addition to the ban, the Italian club has been fined €20 million, with half of that amount being conditional and enforceable only if there are irregularities in Juventus’ financial statements for 2023, 2024, or 2025.
The ban means Juventus will not be able to compete in the 2023-24 Europa Conference League, and they are likely to be replaced by Fiorentina, who finished eighth in Serie A last season. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) will need to submit an entry form for the next club in the Serie A standings, which will then be confirmed by UEFA.
As a result of Juventus’ ban, Aston Villa will move from the unseeded to the seeded pot for the upcoming two-legged play-offs in August.
UEFA’s decision comes after a formal investigation into Juventus’ alleged financial violations, focusing on revenues from player registration rights between 2019 and 2021. Juventus had previously reached a settlement with UEFA regarding financial violations for the financial years up to 2022, taking into account the pandemic’s impact on clubs’ finances.
While Juventus confirmed they would not appeal the decision, the club’s president, Gianluca Ferrero, expressed regret over the UEFA Club Financial Control Body’s judgment. However, the club decided not to appeal to avoid further uncertainty and ensure full visibility and certainty for their stakeholders about the club’s participation in future international competitions.
This is not the first time Juventus has faced sanctions for financial malpractice this year. The club received an initial 15-point penalty in Serie A in January, which was later reduced to a 10-point punishment in May, resulting from a case concerning inflated player trading revenue. Juventus also accepted a fine of €718,000 in May as part of a plea-bargain with the FIGC for financial malpractice in Italy.
READ ALSO: Juventus News: Juve could be hit with European ban and a fine
