Juventus Kicked Out Of UEFA Conference League Over Financial Rules Breach
On Friday, UEFA announced that Juventus, the Italian giants, will be excluded from next season’s UEFA Conference League due to breaching financial fair play rules. Additionally, the club was fined 20 million euros ($22 million), with half of that amount being suspended.
In a statement, UEFA declared, “Juventus violated UEFA’s regulatory framework…and it was decided to exclude Juventus from the 2023/24 UEFA men’s club competition.” The governing body of European football also revealed that a 10-million-euro additional fine would be imposed if the accounting requirements for the financial years 2023, 2024, and 2025 are not met.
Juventus responded to the decision in a statement, accepting the sanctions and confirming that they would not appeal the ruling. However, the club maintained that accepting the decision did not imply admission of any liability.
Gianluco Ferrero, Juventus’ president, expressed regret about the decisions made by the UEFA Club Financial Control Body. He asserted that the club wished to put an end to a period of uncertainty, especially concerning the possible participation in the 2024/2025 season of the Champions League, which could be influenced by an appeal procedure.
As a result of Juventus’ expulsion, Fiorentina, who finished eighth in Serie A last season, is likely to replace them in the UEFA Conference League.
This recent incident is not the first time Juventus has faced financial-related troubles. In May, the club agreed to pay a fine of over 700,000 euros ($751,000) for providing false information about players forgoing wages during the Covid-19 pandemic. The fine was part of a plea bargain approved by the Italian Football Federation tribunal, which marked the conclusion of several cases involving the Turin club in Italy’s sporting courts.
Juventus had previously received a 10-point deduction in Serie A after an investigation into illicit transfer activity, revising their initial 15-point penalty.
In addition to Juventus, UEFA also settled with Chelsea, the English Premier League side, which agreed to pay 10 million euros for “submitting incomplete financial information” during the Roman Abramovich era.
UEFA’s statement noted that Chelsea’s new owners proactively reported instances of potentially incomplete financial reporting under the club’s previous ownership between 2012 and 2019. Following a thorough assessment, the Club Financial Control Body entered into a settlement agreement with Chelsea, resolving the reported matters through a financial contribution of 10 million euros.
