UEFA is very surprised by the attitude of the new Juventus leaders and could punish the club with one or more years of exclusion from the Cups
In Nyon they are still waiting. First of all, a step back by Juventus on the Superlega issue. Which, for now, the new Juventus leaders have not yet accomplished, perhaps awaiting the pronouncement of the EU Court. A dangerous strategy, above all if the EU judges were to confirm the vision proposed by the Advocate General some time ago: another continental competition would be incompatible with the current ones. So, if you participated in the Super League, you would be out of the Champions League and the like. Today, a problem for UEFA, but also for Juve, Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are still holding up the alternative cup project. And speaking of the blaugrana, unlike the black and whites, the number one of the Catalan club, Joan Laporta, flew to Slovenia in April to speak with the president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin. Even Barcelona is involved in a thorny issue at the local level (the Negreira case), although very different from the investigations that Juve is facing in Italy. But it is logical to think that Laporta wanted first of all to soften relations with Ceferin, also speaking of the (non) future of the Super League. Even at Continassa they cultivate a dialogue (at a distance) with Nyon on judicial matters. The parties, however, are not yet talking concretely about Superlega. A fact that amazed (and irritated…) Ceferin himself. Because Juve’s situation has not only legal implications, but (rightly or wrongly…) also political ones.
The UEFA men have in their hands the thousands and thousands of pages of the Prisma investigation by the Turin prosecutor’s office, they have examined them all in an investigation independent of the Italian ones and are close to reaching a conclusion, perhaps as early as June. The fundamental issue is whether the so-called fictitious capital gains and the two salary maneuvers (2020 and 2021) have violated the principles of sportsmanship and altered the Juventus accounts from a financial fair play perspective. It should not be forgotten that Juve had made an agreement with Nyon on the settlement agreement, paying a heavily discounted fine (3.5 million compared to the 19 expected). But if this deal was based on accounting statements believed to be false, the Lady would be in trouble. And the hypothesis of an exclusion for one or more years from the European cups would not be far-fetched at all.
That’s why Ceferin and his team are surprised by the passive attitude of the new Juventus management. Because if the UEFA investigation ascertains faults, the only way to try to mitigate the penalties would be the diplomatic one. Instead, even from Juve’s owners, no signs of relaxation on the Superlega have arrived at the moment, on the contrary… And this despite the farewell of Andrea Agnelli, by whom Ceferin also felt betrayed on a personal level when the Superlega was announced in April 2021. «With Andrea the question is personal. In my eyes, this man no longer exists», said the number one of UEFA in June two years ago, noting how before he considered him a real “friend” (the Slovenian even acted as godfather to the daughter of the former Juventus president , Vera). Today the name of Andrea Agnelli no longer exists even at Juventus. Reason why in Nyon they expected a decisive change of course. And without that, there would be no room for negotiation for a Juve found guilty.
May 26, 2023 (change May 26, 2023 | 10:08)
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