The governing body of soccer in Europe said on Friday that Juventus has been banned from playing in Europe for the next season due to violations of UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations. Additionally, the governing body announced that Premier League club Chelsea would be fined 10 million euros for presenting inaccurate financial information.
In December, the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) began an official inquiry against Juventus. This came many months after the Italian team had struck a settlement with UEFA along with seven other clubs for failing to comply with break-even rules.
The governing body of soccer in Europe issued a statement on Friday saying that it will “impose an additional financial contribution of 20 million euros on the club.”
“Of this amount, 10 million euros is conditional and will only be enforced if the club’s annual financial statements for the financial years 2023, 2024, and 2025 do not comply with the accounting requirements,” UEFA stated. “The club will be required to pay the conditional amount.”
Juventus, who finished seventh in Serie A the previous season and so qualified for the playoff round of the Conference League, said that they had abandoned their right to challenge that judgment but continued to claim that they were innocent.
“We do not agree with the interpretation that has been given of our defense, and we continue to be strongly persuaded of the legality of our acts and the soundness of the reasons that we have presented. However, we have come to the conclusion that we will not be appealing this ruling,” stated Juventus Chairman Gianluca Ferrero.
Ferrero said that Juventus’ choice not to appeal was in keeping with the approach that they followed during a settlement with Italy’s soccer federation (FIGC) in May, when they elected to pay a fine of 718,000 euros and not dispute a 10-point penalty. In that May settlement, Juventus decided to pay the fee rather than contest the 10-point penalty.
“As in that case, we prefer to put an end to the period of uncertainty and ensure full visibility and certainty to our internal and external stakeholders about the club’s participation in future international competitions,” Ferrero said. “As in that case, we prefer to put an end to the period of uncertainty and ensure full visibility and certainty to our internal and external stakeholders.”
“The filing of an appeal, possibly to other levels of judgment, with uncertain outcomes and timing, would increase the uncertainty with respect to our eventual participation in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25,” the author writes.
At the beginning of this month, the qualifying rounds for the 2023-24 season of the Conference League got underway.
THE SETTLEMENT OF CHELSEA
In addition, UEFA came to an agreement with Chelsea about the club’s submission of inadequate financial information relating to “historical transactions” that occurred between the years of 2012 and 2019; this took place before the London club was purchased by the Boehly-Clearlake group in 2022.
“Following the sale of the club in May 2022, the new ownership identified, and proactively reported to UEFA, instances of potentially incomplete financial reporting under the club’s previous ownership,” UEFA stated in a statement.
“Following its assessment, including the applicable statute of limitations, the CFCB First Chamber entered into a settlement agreement with the club, which has agreed to pay a financial contribution of 10 million euros in order to fully resolve the reported matters.”
As a result of the club’s turbulent season, Chelsea will not be playing in Europe for the 2023–24 season. The club finished 12th in the Premier League standings.