On Thursday, Juventus held a press conference to launch the club’s new management. Club president Andrea Agnelli presented Maurizio Arrivabene as the new CEO, whilst Federico Cherubini replaces Fabio Paratici as the new sporting director.

The patron also took the opportunity to explain the tough financial situations facing the top European clubs, whilst his saga with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was unsurprisingly brought to table.

Agnelli – who was at the time the ECA president – enjoyed a great relationship with the Slovenian, until the infamous European Super League announcement back in April.

The Bianconeri president was (and still is) one of the main architects of the idea, but he denied its existence until the official announcement, and he explains that he had to cover up the plan due to signing a non-disclosure agreement.

“The Board of Directors has examined the impacts of COVID in recent seasons that are around €320m and has prepared guidelines for the increase of share capital up to €400m,” Agnelli said as translated by Football Italia.

“Those of the pandemic are effects that have affected all companies.

“UEFA knows the whole situation in all leagues. UEFA estimates a liquidity need of around €8.5bn for the clubs.

“There’s a risk that around 120 clubs will be at risk of insolvency in the short term. Some operations have been announced on the debt side and I’m thinking of Barcelona, Inter, West Ham, Porto for significant amounts.

“Then there are capital increases such as Roma, Atletico Madrid and we are here too. We fit into this context, it’s important that the shareholders support the growth of this club. The ownership is one of the strengths of this club, I say this as President and a member of the family.

“We have received with serenity the letter from UEFA admitting us to the next Champions League. On our part there’s a willingness to talk and we are not afraid of the threats that have been made in recent months and we are convinced that legal actions will lead to successes.

“The verse of success will be there when the dialogue resumes. Today’s theme is the presentation of the new sports team.”

Despite their ugly row, Agnelli proclaimed his big admiration towards the UEFA president.

“I have always had an excellent relationship with President Ceferin, I continue to admire him as a person,” Agnelli added. “Having said that, when you work in the business world, you know what it means to sign an NDA, a non-disclosure agreement, it puts you in the position of not being able to communicate certain hypotheses to whom one is working with.

“I believe that with the immediate resignation from my positions, I have acted in the most correct way possible.

“Alex remains a person who has my admiration and is my daughter’s Godfather. I’m convinced that time will resolve any misunderstanding that there was,” concluded the Juventus president.