Juventus, plea agreement accepted: only a fine of 718 thousand euros

TURIN — Accepted the plea deal, for the Juventus an economic fine (718 thousand euros) without penalty in the standings. The National Federal Court therefore responded positively to the request for a settlement between Juventus and the public prosecutor’s office for the process on the “salary maneuver“: in addition to the financial penalty, there will be no appeal by the Juventus club in the future. The last sentence for Juventus therefore arrived, just before lunchtime. And it ended as everyone expected: after days of negotiations between the top management of the club and the prosecutor Giuseppe Chine, an agreement was reached on Monday evening. The decision concerns the second sporting vein linked to the Prisma investigation by the Turin prosecutor’s office, the one which on 19 May had led the federal prosecutor, Chinè, to refer the black and whites to the disciplinary section of the Tfn for the double salary maneuver concerning the seasons 2019/20 and 2020/21, agents and partnerships with other clubs. In addition to the fine for the club, the plea deal provides for a series of fines to be paid by six managers or directors: 47,000 to Fabio Paratici35 thousand BC Pavel Nedved32 thousand BC Federico Cherubini18.5 thousand BC Cesare Gabasio15 thousand BC Paolo Morganti11.75 thousand BC John Manna and 10 thousand BC Stefano Braghin.

Agnelli to trial on June 15th

On the other hand, the position of the former Juventus president has been removed Andrea Agnelli, which will be addressed on June 15th. Unlike Juventus and all the other managers, Agnelli is therefore going to trial, leaving the way open to possible appeals only for the former Juventus president if a plea deal is not reached, also in this case. As for all the other former executives, all have renounced appeals both to the FIGC Court of Appeal and to the Coni Guarantee College.

Juventus: “We’ve made a point, now let’s plan for the future”

Satisfaction at Juventus for the accepted plea deal. “The company, while reiterating the correctness of its actions and the validity of its defensive arguments, has decided to apply the sanctions upon request pursuant to article 127 of the CGS in the terms indicated above in the best interests of the Company itself, its shareholders and all stakeholders (both belonging to the world of sport and not).The definition of all open FIGC sporting procedures – it continues – in fact allows the club to achieve a certain result, putting a firm point and overcoming the state of tension and instability that would inevitably result from the continuation of disputes with uncertain outcomes and times, also allowing management, the first team coach and the players to concentrate on sporting activity and in particular on the overall planning for next season (both with reference to sporting activities and as regards business relations with sponsors, other commercial and financial counterparts)”.

Stock market reaction: Juve stock +4%

This morning, before the hearing in the Federal Court, the Stock Exchange welcomed the news on the plea agreement on the double salary maneuver and on the second branch of the investigation. Juventus stock opened by gaining 4.05%, reaching €0.303 per share. After the news of the pecuniary fine and the acceptance of the plea deal, the stock soared by +7.97%, reaching 0.3144 euro.

Juve process, the reasons for the capital gains trend

If the agreement between the Federal Prosecutor’s Office and Juventus was the most awaited moment of the day, the Federal Court of Appeal has published the reasons that led to the 10-point penalty for the club in the capital gains case. “The responsibility of the sports association is based on article 6, paragraph I, of the CGS which prescribes that ‘The club is directly responsible for the work of whoever represents it pursuant to federal regulations – reads the reasons -. Therefore, the violation of the principles codified by art. 4 CGS, by the operational Councilors and the sanctions imposed on them constitutes a reference parameter in terms of afflictiveness, proportionality and reasonableness in relation to the sanction to be imposed on the sports association”. Basically, the ten points are considered by the Court to be a sanction deemed fair for direct responsibility, a penalty that has also increased for managerial positions: “In conclusion, the penalty of the penalty of 10 (ten) points in the standings to be served in the sports course, also from an equitable point of view, proves to be entirely suitable for satisfying the criteria of afflictiveness, proportionality and reasonableness as stated above”. The acquittal of the Directors is dictated by the lack of evidence regarding their responsibility. “All the interceptions, almost always de relato, do not allow for the identification of any element that gives an account of awareness or sharing on the part of the non-appointed advisers, with regard to the facts referred to. The federal prosecutor sees in the concept of ‘responsibility based on of the culpable behavior of non-operative directors”.

Gravina: “Italian football has found serenity”

Immediately after the decision of the TFN, the president of the FIGC spoke, Gabriel Gravina: “There is a moment for verification, assessments and judgements, but there is also a moment to decide and look to the future with greater serenity, a moment for planning. Everything, in compliance with the rules. This last act it is envisaged by our rules, by the code of sports justice, which is desirable and shared. I think it is the best result for Italian football to have found a moment of serenity. We are talking about sports justice – continued the number one of the Football Federation – not in a precise way. Our justice is fast, punctual, rigorous. And I believe that within 30 days, with the terms that have been set, it will complete its course”.