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Juventus and UEFA have reportedly reached an agreement that would result in the club withdrawing from the Conference League. In light of the club's financial and legal issues arising from the Plusvalenza and Prisma inquiries, there are concerns that Juventus may have violated UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations. As a result, the club's new leadership aims to turn over a new leaf by entering into a plea bargain with European football's governing body.
Under the agreement, UEFA will impose a ban on Juventus's participation in the upcoming season's Conference League, while the club has committed not to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to reports Il Corriere dello Sport. Although it means foregoing participation in Europe's third-tier competition, this sacrifice would serve as a safeguard for Juventus, shielding the club from further penalties and lengthy bans.
Juventus will not compete in European competitions during the 2023/24 season due to their financial fair play issues, according to reports. This could lead to Fiorentina, who were placed eighth just below Juventus, replacing the Bianconeri in the UEFA Europa Conference League next season.
In January, Juventus received a 15-point deduction, and several members of its previous board, including former president Andrea Agnelli, were issued bans from soccer-related activities. The penalty was lifted in April after the club appealed to Italy’s top sports court within the Italian Olympic Committee, which referred back to the soccer federation’s appeal for a retrial. After the retrial, in May, Juventus were handed a 10-point penalty which saw them drop out of Champions League contention and into Conference League spots.
A Difficult Road Ahead for the Old Lady of Turin
Juventus, along with former president Andrea Agnelli and 11 others, have been accused by prosecutors in Turin of various charges, including false communications by a publicly listed company on the Milan stock exchange, obstructing regulatory agencies, false billing, and market manipulation. Additionally, the Italian soccer federation has charged the club and seven former team directors with alleged fraud relating to the handling of player salary cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the entire board has resigned, it is difficult to see a clear way for the once-dominant Italian side to once again reach the summit of Italian football. The focus now will be on re-building the squad, re-establishing trust with the Italian public, and securing a place in the Champions League for the 24 /25 season.
The club from Turin won nine scudetto in a row between the 2011-12 and 2019-20 seasons, also winning four Coppa Italia titles and twice finishing runners up in the Champions League.
