Juventus were hit with a new penalty of 10 points deducted on Monday by an Italian court that hampered their chances of qualifying for next year’s Champions League, the Italian Football Association said.
The latest penalty for fake finance in club transfer deals dropped Juventus from second in Serie A to seventh.
That leaves the Bianconeri five points behind AC Milan, who moved into fourth place in Serie A and the final qualifying spot for the Champions League.
Following the announcement, Juventus are on the rocks after suffering a poor result against bottom side Empoli.
Then there are two rounds left of the Serie A season, including a crucial game against AC Milan as Juventus look to avoid missing out on the Champions League for the first time in 11 seasons.
On Twitter, Juventus said they had “taken note of” the court’s decision “and reserve the right” to file a new appeal against it at Italy’s top sports body.
“What was decreed by the fifth ruling in this matter, which was initiated just over a year ago, caused great bitterness in the club and its millions of supporters who, in the absence of clear rules, found themselves severely punished with the application of sanctions that appeared to have no effect on them. take into account the principle of proportionality,” added Juventus.
“While not neglecting the urgency, which has never been avoided by Juventus during the trial, it is stressed that these are facts that have yet to be evaluated by the judge.”
Max Allegri’s squad were awarded a 15-point penalty in January while several members of the former Juventus board were also given a ban from football activities, including former president Andrea Agnelli.
The point deduction was suspended last month on an appeal to the country’s highest sporting court within the Italian Olympic Committee and was referred back to the football federation’s court of appeals for a new hearing.
The punishment took place on Monday. During a three-hour hearing, federation prosecutor Giuseppe Chine asked for an 11-point penalty for Juventus. He had requested nine back in January.
China also sought an eight-month ban for seven former Juventus directors, including Pavel Nedvěd, but they were released on Monday.
Agnelli’s and three other appeals were rejected last month.
The Juventus board resigned en masse in November following an investigation by Turin’s public prosecutor into alleged fake books.
The sports court in the case was later reopened based on information from Turin prosecutors, resulting in a deduction of points.
Juventus were initially acquitted by a sports court in April.
Prosecutors in Turin also charged Juventus, Agnelli and 11 others with false communications by a company publicly listed on the Milan stock exchange, obstruction of regulatory bodies, fraudulent billing and market manipulation.
Juventus’ legal troubles deepened last week after the Italian football federation also indicted the club and seven former team directors with fraud charges over the way they handled player wage cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.
