Juve penalized by Italian Football Federation

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
21 Jan 2023 20:07

while Juventus plays Atalanta, they are 12 points behind from ranking in the top four.

Coppa Italia - Final - Juventus v Inter Milan - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - May 11, 2022, A Juventus fan waves a flag inside the stadium before the match (REUTERS/Ciro De Luca)

Massimiliano Allegri claimed on Saturday that his team's situation has not changed despite the Serie A club getting penalized with a points deduction for manipulating their financial sheet through trades.

The Italian Football Federation penalized Juventus by 15 points on Friday night, dropping them from third to tenth in Serie A and significantly reducing their prospects of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Halfway through the season, while Juventus plays Atalanta, they are 12 points behind ranking in the top four. The coach made an effort to avoid answering questions about the effect that Friday's decision would have on their campaign and players.

"We need to close the first half of the season in the best way possible, after yesterday we need to stay tight as a group, keep our heads down and work... we can only think about what happens on the pitch," Allegri told reporters.

"Nothing changes, we need to get points, tomorrow will be difficult because Atalanta are playing well and in good shape... We need to take it one step at a time."

Juventus said that they would challenge the FIGC court's decision to penalize the club's former leadership and current sporting director Federico Cherubini with a number of bans in addition to point deductions.

Cherubini received a 16-month sentence, while former CEO Maurizio Arrivabene received a two-year ban, former chairman Andrea Agnelli received a two-year suspension, and former sporting director Fabio Paratici—now at Tottenham Hotspur—received a 30-month penalty.

The decision, in which all eight other clubs charged in the trial were cleared, was dubbed "a clear injustice" by the club's legal team.

Juventus has one chance to challenge the FIGC's ruling at the Italian Olympic Committee, the nation's supreme sporting court.

Allegri wants his team to keep playing in case the CONI court rules in favor of Juve during the next two months, which might result in the FIGC fines being upheld or overturned.

"We had 37 points before yesterday's ruling, a point from second place with a chance for a place in the Champions League and maybe a shot at the title," added Allegri.

"So we need to keep doing what we need to do because the final ruling will be within the next two months.

"We don't want to be two months down the line and regret not doing what we were supposed to do."