Juventus set to appeal 15-point deduction ruling in capital gains case

Juventus will appeal to Italy’s Sports Guarantee Board against a ruling that docked them 15 points earlier this month in a ruling related to the club’s transfer dealings, according to Sky Italia.

The Bianconeri were accused of false accounting and market manipulation towards the end of last year that resulted in the shocking resignation of the club’s entire board.

Juventus were acquitted of the Plusvalenza case in April 2022, but it was reopened last month after an appeal from the federal prosecutor when new information regarding the case came to light.

Upon further investigation, the Italian football federation (FIGC) found the Serie A giants guilty of the allegations leading to the points deduction.

The appeals court of the FIGC had published the reasons for the points deduction, saying Juventus were found guilty of ‘committing a sporting disciplinary offence, taking into account the seriousness and the repeated and prolonged nature of the violation’ (via TuttoMercatoWeb).

With the reason for the ruling revealed, Juventus had 30 days to appeal the decision, and the club’s Chief Football Officer Francesco Calvo has confirmed they will plead their case on March 1.

The points deduction, if it stands, may prevent Juventus from qualifying for the Champions League via a top-four finish in Serie A.

The Old Lady are currently eighth in the standings, 13 points off Champions League places. The gap could extend to 15 if AS Roma beat Cremonese on Tuesday night.

However, they could still qualify if they win the Europa League, having progressed to the round of 16 following a comprehensive 4-1 aggregate victory over Ligue 1 side Nantes.

The Juventus board have set Europa League success as a minimum target for Massimiliano Allegri, with the club keen to bolster their finances with the money that comes from Champions League qualification.

They have been drawn against SC Freiburg, which could prove a tricky tie with the German side flourishing in the Bundesliga.

If Juventus are unsuccessful in winning their appeal, there could be a massive summer clearout as the club will need to balance the books.