Daily Times

MILAN: Italy’s football association (FIGC) said on Friday Juventus (JUVE.MI) would have to stand a sport trial for alleged irregularities in the club’s payments to players as well as undue relationships with player’s agents and other clubs. The new sports trial, which could cost further sporting penalties, including more points deductions, adds to a separate one the club are already facing, for which a new ruling is expected on Monday. As part of the ongoing case, centred on the club’s transfer dealings, Juventus were given a 15 point penalty in January which was later scrapped by Italy’s top sports body ordering soccer authorities to hold a new hearing.

With three games left to play this season, Juve are second in Serie A with 69 points, behind champions Napoli. Any points deduction could push Juve, Italy’s most successful club, out of the qualifying spots for lucrative European competitions. On Thursday, Seville beat Juventus in the semi-finals of the Europa League. As part of the new sport trial ordered against Juve, which also involves former and current club’s executives including former chairman Andrea Agnelli, FIGC prosecutors allege that they agreed to pay players back most of their COVID-19 related wage cuts without properly accounting for it.

Juventus, who earlier said they had “correctly applied the relevant international accounting standards”, on Friday declined to make further comments. FIGC said on Friday the other teams with who Juventus were allegedly holding undue relationships are Sampdoria, Atalanta, Sassuolo, Udinese, Bologna and Cagliari but added that they were still being investigated.