Despite assembling a point tally that warranted a third-place finish, Juventus finished the Serie A campaign in seventh place due to a 10-point deduction as a result of the Capital Gains trial.
Therefore, the Bianconeri missed out on a Champions League berth, instead finishing in a Conference League spot. But even a place in Europe’s third-tier competition is no longer on the table for Max Allegri’s men.
On Friday, Juventus received a European ban from UEFA in addition to a 20-million euro fine for allegedly breaking the previously agreed plea bargain with the governing body of European football.
But while a large section of Juventus fans have been irked by the decision – referring to other top clubs who escaped unscathed despite breaching financial rules – club captain Danilo has described it as the right decision, as it would help the Bianconeri plan for a brighter future, considering it a blessing in disguise.
“Of course, we would have liked to play in the Conference League, but it’s the right decision to prepare for the future,” said the defender while meeting Juventus fan groups in Los Angeles as reported by Il Corriere dello Sport.
“This season, we’ll focus only on the domestic league and the Coppa Italia. We are focused on winning the Scudetto again to get Juve back to first place among Italian teams.”
