UEFA ‘Ready to Help Juventus in Fraud Scandal If It Drops Super League Project’
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, right, and Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo during the Champions League group G soccer match between FC Barcelona and Juventus at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020InternationalIndiaAfricaMOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is ready to help Juventus with its accounting scandal if the club agrees to abandon the European Super League project, Italian media reported on Saturday. In January, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) stripped Juventus of 15 points as a punishment for financial fraud, as well as banned several former and current Juventus executives from assuming positions in Italian football. The club denied any wrongdoings. Later, hearings on renewal of the investigation into the case took place in the FGIC court of appeal. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin promised to help Juventus if the club’s leadership retracts its support for the Super League until the decision on the project is made by the EU Court of Justice, expected to be announced in April-May, Italian sport news outlet reported. In April 2021, 12 top European clubs announced the creation of the Super League, a 20-team competition designed to rival the UEFA Champions League. FIFA, UEFA, national football associations, experts and fans criticized the idea. Following this wave of criticism, all English clubs, as well Italian Inter and Spanish Atletico Madrid withdrew from the project. Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid remained committed to the Super League. In May 2022, the Super League appealed to the EU Court of Justice due to a possible violation of competition regulations by UEFA and FIFA.