Juventus, the appeal, the new sporting trials, UEFA: what happens now – Corriere.it

Sent 15 boxes back from a non-definitive but significant sentence, Juve seems to have ended up in a Monopoly match in which you find the entire pack of unexpected events in your hand: the conviction of the Federal Court of Appeal, an encore vein on capital gains, that on salary maneuvers and, in the background, the specter of the UEFA investigation, with related (further) sanctions. To remain only in the field of sports justice, because then thecriminal investigation into the accounts of the club, with the preliminary hearing set for 27 March. In short, a terrible saga.

To face the storm, on Saturday afternoon everyone got on board, indeed on the field, with the president Gianluca Ferrero and the CEO Maurizio Scanavino
that have met the team. A chat in front of the amazement, the anger, the questions of the players, who had already texted and spoken to each other from the night before, as soon as they heard the sentence. Therefore, a common front, even with tones that institutional etiquette advises against in public: “We must be united in the face of injustice,” the new president essentially said. Who, as a hard worker, then added the concept that Massimiliano Allegri had just repeated at the press conference: “Now, more than ever, it is essential that everyone does their job”. Implied: at most, and even more. A speech made at Continassa, the Juventus headquarters, shortly before afternoon training, on the eve of the match against Atalanta. About ten minutes, to consolidate the group and try to reassure them, a difficult task: “We will defend the club in the right places – said the managers – and you will do it on the pitch, winning matches”. It’s not just a question of work, but of pride: «Today, more than ever, you represent millions of fans, all over the world». A noisy and seething majority since the time of the penalty, inflating social networks with protests. Up to the campaigns to sink the world of football, including pay-TV cancellations.

“This is a big unexpected event,” said Allegri, just to stay at Monopoli. The first appointment is the continuation of that of Friday evening, with other means: namely, the Coni Sports Guarantee College, which Juve will be able to appeal within thirty days of notification of the reasons for the conviction by the Federal Court of Appeal. The last chance of this first episode, it’s either do it or break it: given that the Panel will only be able to confirm or annul the verdict of minus 15, verifying only its legitimacy, not its merits. That is, check the correct application of the rules.

On the other hand, any referrals for the investigation into the so-called salary maneuvers are expected at the end of January, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s “famous card” inside. Another chapter where the thousands of pages of the investigation by the Guardia di Finanza and the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office have converged. by eye, more risky on the criminal side than on sport, but the shock of the other night has now canceled any forecast. After that, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Football Federation is also working on the capital gains part two, but with less forthcoming deadlines.

In order not to miss anything, in the brochure of Juventus’ potential troubles there is also the investigation launched by the financial control body of the UEFA clubs: “For potential violations of the rules on club licensing and financial fair play,” a note from Nyon explained in December. A move that came after the Consob resolution and the notice of the end of the investigation by the Turin magistrates, the adjunct Marco Gianoglio and the prosecutors Mario Bendoni and Ciro Santoriello. If it takes months for a decision by UEFA, they still filter the lines along which the supervisory body will move: there was evidence that the club lied about the accounts communicated to Nyon – in relation to the false accounting disputed by the Italian magistrates – there will be sanctions for violation of Financial Fair Play. For one simple reason: the Juventus club had obtained a “settlement agreement” precisely on the basis of the financial statements communicated to UEFA at the time.

Juventus’ centenary is celebrated on 24 July by Agnelli: the mission is that history does not become just a distant memory.