Uefa has ousted Juventus from the current edition of the Europa Conference League and imposed a fine on them for violating the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, has acted against Juventus and Chelsea for violating Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. Juventus has been fined £17.14m, while Chelsea faces a fine of £8.57m. The sanctions come from the club’s failure to provide complete financial information about transactions between 2012 and 2019.
For Juventus, there is a possibility of reducing their fine by half if their financial records remain compliant with regulations over the next three years. In contrast, Chelsea has already agreed to pay the settlement figure.
🚨 BREAKING: @JuventusFC expelled from Europa Conference League for 1 Year & fined by UEFA for breaching FFP rules! 😱 #FootballNews #UEFA #Juventus #FFP
— David Mckanzie (@jonmurphi2) July 29, 2023
More at: https://t.co/f3uLn6rfMQ pic.twitter.com/d0cek7wfz4
The FFP breach for Chelsea occurred during seven years when the club was under the control of Roman Abramovich, predating the ownership of Todd Boehly, who took over in May 2022. The Blues have been heavily investing in player acquisitions, spending approximately £600m on 19 new players under Boehly’s ownership.
UEFA praised Chelsea’s proactive approach in addressing the matter, as the new ownership promptly identified and reported instances of potential incomplete financial reporting from the club’s previous administration. The Premier League club cooperated fully with UEFA during the investigations, resulting in a settlement agreement.
In response to UEFA’S decision, Chelsea reiterated their commitment to full compliance and transparency with regulators, expressing gratitude that the case was resolved through disclosing information proactively and reaching a settlement.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) must now inform UEFA about Juventus’ replacement in the Europa Conference League. Fiorentina, the team that finished eighth in Serie A and lost to West Ham in last year’s final, will likely take their place.
Official UEFA statement confirms they have banned Juventus from competing in Conference League this year due to capital gains case. 🚨⚪️⚫️
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 28, 2023
€20m fine also been given, €10m of that is conditional based on financial results. pic.twitter.com/dNPWOeO7En
This is not the first time Juventus has faced consequences for financial irregularities. In a previous settlement agreement with Italian football authorities, the club was fined 718,000 euros (£620,000) regarding issues related to player salary payments. Juventus was also penalized with a 10-point deduction in Serie A last season due to a hearing on past transfer dealings. The initial 15-point penalty was overturned by Italy’s highest sporting court in April, leading to a re-examination of the case.
Had the penalty not been imposed, Juventus would have finished fourth in Serie A and qualified for the Champions League next season. The club, however, has decided not to appeal Uefa’s current judgment.
Gianluca Ferrero, the president of Juventus, expressed regret over Uefa’s decision and disagreed with interpreting the club’s defense. Despite believing in the legitimacy of their actions and arguments, the club has chosen not to pursue an appeal, citing uncertainty and potential impacts on their participation in the 2024/25 Uefa Champions League.
