The Italian soccer federation prosecutor requested a nine-point penalty for Juventus on Friday for alleged false accounting involving the Bianconeri — a punishment that could eliminate the club's chances of playing in Europe next season.
Prosecutor Giuseppe Chiné made the request during a hearing before the federation's appeals court.
Chiné also requested a 16-month ban for former Juventus president Andrea Agnelli and similarly long bans for other members of Juve's former board, which resigned en masse in November following an investigation by Turin public prosecutors into alleged false bookkeeping.
The move comes 17 years after the "Calciopoli" refereeing scandal that saw Juventus, a record 36-time Italian champion, demoted to Serie B and stripped of two Serie A titles.
Juventus has denied wrongdoing and was initially cleared by the sports court in April. But an appeal was made after the federation collected papers from the Turin prosecutors.
Fines were requested for eight other clubs: Sampdoria, Pro Vercelli, Genoa, Parma, Pisa, Empoli, Pescara and Novara.
Juventus is currently third in Serie A and 10 points behind Italian league leader Napoli. A nine-point penalty would drop the Bianconeri to eighth place.
Juventus was already eliminated from the Champions League in a horrible start to this season, which also saw it win only two of its opening nine Serie A matches. But the club has bounced back to climb into the top four.
Juventus could face further penalties from UEFA, which also opened an inquiry into the club's finances after the Turin prosecutor's office requested indictments for Agnelli and 10 other former board members as well as the club itself.
At the start of the pandemic, Juventus said 23 players agreed to reduce their salary for four months to help the club through the crisis. But prosecutors claim the players gave up only one month's salary.
Turin prosecutors have also apparently discovered more alleged secret payments to former player Cristiano Ronaldo that were not reported by Juventus.
AP
