20 April 2023 , 16:32
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Juventus have had their 15-point deduction reversed by Italian football chiefs, it has been confirmed.
The Serie A giants now sit third in the league table, forcing Milan giants Inter and AC out of the Champions League places with eight games to go. Three hours before their crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg away to Sporting Lisbon on Thursday, Juventus saw their Serie A penalty revoked pending a new trial which is to further clarify their capital gains controversy, meaning the FIGC Federal Court of Appeal must re-evaluate following its original decision in January.
The process is likely to drag on until after the end of this season, so any punishment which Juve face could be for the 2023-24 season. Thursday's news immediately pushes Massimiliano Allegri's side up to third place on 59 points, bumping Jose Mourinho's Roma down to fourth and changing the landscape of the race for European football this season.
Milan and Inter, who're set to meet one another in an epic Champions League semi-final clash next month, are now fifth and sixth respectively, putting their top-four hopes in jeopardy. While league leaders Napoli are almost out of sight at the top of Serie A, there is a chance that Juventus can nab second spot, as they now sit just two points adrift of Lazio.
Also coming out of Italy, it's emerged that Fabio Paratici - the current Tottenham managing director formerly of Juve - has also seen appeal against his two-and-a-half year ban from football, extended globally by FIFA, rejected. The same applies for appeals for bans against former colleagues Andrea Agnelli and Federico Cherubini, although an appeal against Pavel Nedved's ban has been accepted.
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Juventus' verdict had been increasingly likely since the three-hour hearing which took place at the Italian Council of Sports Guarantee on Wednesday afternoon. The FIGC didn't present any evidence at the appeal, leading to their place being taken by Italian National Olympic Committee prosecutor Ugo Taucer.
Former Juventus chief Fabio Paratici, now managing director of Tottenham, saw his appeal rejected (Offside via Getty Images)Have your say! Will Juventus remain in the top four? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.
As quoted by Football Italia, Taucer confessed that the ruling "has a lack of clarity in the motivation that must be appreciated and evaluated by a new judgment."
Juventus are hoping to turn their attention back to the pitch tonight in Lisbon, boasting a narrow 1-0 lead from a sluggish first leg. If Allegri and co advance, they'll face either Manchester United or Sevilla in the Europa League semi-finals.
"The match is long and will give us difficulties, they are an excellent team in terms of organisation," Allegri told Sky Italia. "The goal is important and not simple, Sporting eliminated Arsenal. We don't think about the first leg but that is a challenge."