Juventus warning plea bargain is ‘not an admission’ of responsibility | OneFootball

Juventus released a statement insisting today’s plea bargain over the Prisma investigation into financial irregularities ‘does not entail any admission or recognition of liability.’

The period covered by the investigation was 2019 to 2021, with the accusation that the club artificially inflated transfer values in order to create capital gains, therefore balancing the books.

This saw, for example, players exchanged between clubs for officially much more than they were genuinely worth on the transfer market.

While this is not an entirely uncommon practice for Serie A sides, Juventus were accused of doing this systematically to boost their financial health.

Today, the trial was effectively closed before it could begin at the preliminary stage, with the acceptance of plea bargains from former Juventus President Andrea Agnelli, vice president Pavel Nedved, and director of sport Fabio Paratici.

The club also accepted a fine worth €157,000.

Juventus reiterate no admission of liability

GENOA, ITALY – AUGUST 22: Andrea Agnelli chairman of Juventus (R) chats with Pavel Nedved vice president of Juventus prior to kick-off in the Serie A match between UC Sampdoria and Juventus at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on August 22, 2022 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

All of those figures, and the club itself, agreed to the plea bargains to end the process, but were at pains to clarify this is not an admission of wrongdoing.

“Juventus Football Club S.p.A. announces that today the Judge for the Preliminary Hearing (Giudice dell’Udienza Preliminare) of the Tribunal of Rome has accepted the requests for application of the penalty (istanza di applicazione della pena su richiesta) on request of all the parties (defendants and Public Prosecutors), pursuant to articles 444 et seq. of the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure, and has pronounced a judgment of dismissal (sentenza di non luogo a procedere) with respect to one of the defendants,” read a formal statement.

“Following the patteggiamento (plea agreement), the Company will be required to pay a pecuniary sanction of Euro 157 thousand.

“The plea agreement does not entail any admission or recognition of liability. The Company, while reiterating the correctness of its conduct and the soundness of its defensive arguments, has deemed it appropriate to resort to this instrument in the best interest of the Company itself, its shareholders and all stakeholders (within or outside the sporting sector), securing the conclusion of its procedural position in relation to a proceeding commenced in November 2021 and concerning matters now dating back in time.

VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 08:Fabio Paratici of Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona and Juventus at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 8, 2020 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“The other plea agreements accepted, with regard to certain individuals, provide for penalties not exceeding 1 year and 8 months – all subject to conditional suspension (sospensione condizionale) – and, for the remaining individuals, pecuniary sanctions only.

“The decision of the Judge of the Preliminary Hearing of the Tribunal of Rome shall become final upon expiry of the term of 15 days from the date of communication to the General Prosecutor’s Office. The Company further informs that, in this context, as of today, settlement agreements have been reached with certain civil parties (parti civili) admitted to the criminal proceeding, including Consob, consumers associations, as well as approximately one third of the other civil parties.”

According to Calcio e Finanza reports, the figure set aside for those other civil parties is 1 million and 80,000 Euro.

This was the civil trial, whereas the sporting proceedings had already concluded in May 2023 with the imposition of a 10-point Serie A penalty.