JUVE? NOT MUCH JOY!

 14th July 2006

Five days after the defeat of France by Italy in the World Cup Final, back in the home country, Italian football was brought back down to earth when the Italian FA announced the punishments after an investigation into a major match-fixing scandal!! 

Known as the Calciopoli (Calcio is Italian for football!) scandal, it involved the bribing of referees and match fixing in Italian football in 2004/05 and 2005/06. The worst punishment handed down to the main five clubs involved was suffered by the very important, Juventus. 

Juve was stripped of the Italian championship titles they had won in 2004/05 and 2005/06 and were relegated to Serie B for 2006/07, with an additional 30 point deduction for 2006/07 although that was later reduced to 9 points on appeal. 

It was also announced that Fiorentina and Lazio were to be relegated to Serie B although that punishment was overturned on appeal with those two clubs, plus AC Milan and Reginna ending up with points deductions/fines/ground closures.  

Below...Juve 2005-2006.

The Juventus squad in 2005-06, guided by Fabio Capello, it was brilliant!!