“Scudetto 2020 must be removed, FIGC Prosecutor’s Office reopens the case”

The ruling of the Arbitration Panel which condemned Juventus to compensate Cristiano Ronaldo for the non-payment of wages could cost Juventus very dearly, definitely more than the nine million seven hundred thousand euros – plus interest – to be paid to the Portuguese ace. According to the Fatto Quotidiano journalist Paolo Ziliani, what was decided by the Board would constitute a “new fact” with respect to the material subject to the plea bargain between Juve itself and the FIGC Prosecutor’s Office last May. In particular, the fact that the Juventus club has been recognized as having committed serious misconduct should lead to the immediate reopening of the case by Giuseppe Chinè, the federal prosecutor.

Ziliani: “FIGC prosecutor’s office is asleep, Juve case must be reopened”

Ziliani writes on Substack and X: “Juve is registered in the championship irregularly, the 2020 scudetto should be taken away from them but the FIGC Prosecutor’s Office is asleep“. And again: “The ruling of the Arbitration Panel, which not only blamed the club but said that all the members, Ronaldo first and foremost, were co-responsible for the offences, is a Waterloo for Madama.” And further on, in his substantial and detailed post, the journalist explains why. There would be, in particular, four valid reasons to reopen the proceedings against the Old Lady, which the plea agreement had put an end to. Or at least, that’s how it seemed.

The journalist’s accusation: “Irregular Juventus registration”

According to Ziliani, in particular, “Juventus is registered in the championship irregularly”, since it has no longer paid Ronaldo’s monthly arrears. In the case, the Juventus club “has not fulfilled the duty established by the code in point 5 of ‘fulfilling the payment of the emoluments due, up to and including the month of May 2023, to members, employees and collaborators involved in the sports sector with contracts ratified by the competent League, also filing a declaration with COVISOC, signed by the legal representative of the company and by the statutory auditor or by the president of the board of statutory auditors or of the supervisory board or by the sole auditor, certifying said fulfillment”.

Ronaldo case proves Juve’s false accounting

Furthermore, the Ronaldo sentence would be the same for Ziliani proof of false accounting committed by the club: “Juventus, by not including in the budget the 20 million debt for Ronaldo’s unpaid salaries (the Arbitration Panel condemned it to pay half of the sum by assessing the player’s co-responsibility for the offense committed by the club and the member) and having not set aside a single euro in the ‘risk fund’ despite the ongoing litigation, which saw it lose despite the CONSOB’s warnings, it has evidently made false accounting”.

The “new fact” that can reopen Madama’s trial

Third point reported by Ziliani: “Ithe ruling of the Arbitration Panelwho recognized Juventus’ guilt towards its former footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (and also the co-responsibility of the member himself), it is to all intents and purposes a “new fact” which requires the federal prosecutor to open an investigation and refer the club and the former footballer“. According to the journalist, this could also lead to the revocation of the 2019-20 Scudetto, the last one won by the Old Lady.

The salary maneuvers and the damage caused to Inter, Rome and Naples

“The two salary maneuvers implemented by Juventus and which involved Ronaldo, recognized as illicit by the Arbitration Panel, refer to the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons during which Juventus won their last scudetto (with Sarri as coach) and he placed 4th (with Pirlo as coach) gaining access to the Champions League each time,” Ziliani acutely points out. “The title won in 2020 ahead of Inter, 2nd, is irregular how irregular was the qualification for the Champions League in both seasons to the detriment of Roma first and then of Napoli”.

Juve back on trial? The storm is breaking out on the web

Many user comments on the sensational scenarios proposed by Ziliani. Gloria, for example, asks: “Paolo ma if this matter is part of the plea agreement, nothing can be done, right?“. The same Fatto Quotidiano journalist responds: “No, Ronaldo’s case and the guilty verdict (for both Juventus and Ronaldo) of the Arbitration Panel they are new facts, they are an autonomous procedure, they have nothing to do with the Prisma investigation papers“.