Juventus will not compete in Europe during the 2023/24 season due to issues surrounding financial fair play, according to reports.
The Italian giants, who are no strangers to off-field controversy after a match-fixing scandal saw them relegated from Serie A in 2006, were deducted ten points in May following an investigation into the club’s transfer dealings that found evidence of false accounting.
As well as the points deduction, several members of Juve’s former board, who resigned en masse in November following an investigation by Turin public prosecutors into alleged false bookkeeping, were also given bans from football activities, including ex-president Andrea Agnelli.
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Juventus were second in the Italian top flight at the time the punishment was handed out, resulting in them dropping out of the Champions League spots and into seventh place.
Their final league position, however, meant they would still qualify for the Europa Conference League this season.
But, according to a report from Corriere dello Sport, The Old Lady have reached an agreement with UEFA that would see them drop out of Europe altogether this term in a bid to avoid any further punishment over breaching financial fair play regulations and, in particular, avoid any sanctions that might scupper their ambitions of playing Champions League football in the 2024/25 campaign.
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It is believed that, in the eyes of Juventus’ new hierarchy, the reported agreement reached with European football’s governing body would be a small price to pay as the club looks to begin a new chapter in its history.
Last season, Juventus’ off-field woes were compounded by disappointment on the pitch as they were dumped out of the Champions League group stage following five defeats from six matches, including a humiliating 2-0 loss to Maccabi Haifa.
Dropping into the Europa League, they fared somewhat better, reaching the semi-final stage before being edged out by eventual winners Sevilla 3-2 on aggregate over two legs.
Despite such underachievement, manager Massimiliano Allegri has kept his job, and in recent weeks the club have also been heavily linked with striker Romelu Lukaku, who appears set to leave Chelsea after returning from his loan at Inter Milan.
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Juventus, UEFA, Europa Conference League, Romelu Lukaku