Juventus hit with 10-point deduction for current Serie A season, after having 15-point deduction overturned

The Italian club can still appeal the ruling again

Juventus received a 10-point deduction in the current Serie A season after the Italian club were once again found guilty again by the Italian FA appeals court (Corte d'Appello) for rules violations. The new decision is an expected consequence after last month's decision from the Italian Olympic Committee, Collegio di Garanzia, the highest sporting court in Italy, when it overturned the punishment for financial rules violations from the Italian FA (FIGC), a punishment originally announced back in January, when Juventus were given a 15-point deduction in the standings. The announcement came on Monday just as the club was about to kick off their match at Empoli (you can catch that match on CBS Sports Golazo Network)

The Italian FA prosecutors are accusing Juventus of mishandling and manipulating transfer finances, the so called "plusvalenze." In simple terms, football accountants take a different approach to registering transfers in and out. If a player is sold for €20 million to another club then the vendor will simply add that sum to their accounts. However, if they were then to take that €20m and sign another player on a five-year contract then their books would record a €4m fee for each of the five years. This is standard practice across the industry but it is open to manipulation, particularly in the case of swap deals between two clubs. 

The sanctions also included former and current club representatives including suspensions for former chairman Andrea Agnelli (24 months), former head of football Fabio Paratici (30 months) and current sport director Federico Cherubini (16 months). They all lost their appeal last April, unlike former vice-president Pavel Nedved whose suspension was overturned, and who the current decision now acquitted.

With the new deduction their qualification to the Champions League is now seriously in doubt. Juventus are currently seventh in the table, with 59 points ahead of Monday's match against Empoli with AC Milan this Sunday and Udinese on the last matchday of the season. 

Juventus Chief Football Officer Francesco Calvo, speaking to DAZN, would not rule out appealing the latest decision. "We are not satisfied with -10 penalty, we will see if there are margins to appeal. This year we are up against everyone and everything."

However, this is not the only thing to worry for the Italian side, as the club is now expected to stand a new trial in June over allegations of salary wrongdoing involving irregularities in payments to players as well as undue relationships with agents and other clubs, the Italian FA (FIGC) announced on Friday. 

Aside from the two trials, the club is also dealing with the Prisma investigation by the Italian civil justice. The ongoing investigation was started by the Turin Prosecutor's office over the club's financial statements with the Bianconeri accused of false accounting, market manipulation and false corporate disclosures. In particular, prosecutors believe that Juventus, between 2019 and 2021, have made use of several capital gains to cover gaps in the financial statements.