Why only Juventus? The question Italian football won't answer | OneFootball

According to Tutto Juve, the ongoing investigation into Juventus' alleged use of inflated transfer valuations—known as “plusvalenze”—continues to provoke debate over how such cases have been handled across Italian football. Journalist Fabio Ravezzani publicly emphasized via social media that Juventus remains the only major club penalized for what were termed “fictitious capital gains,” while similar scrutiny towards other clubs has not resulted in comparable investigations or punishments.

Ravezzani noted that although several plusvalenze cases involving other clubs did not lead to judicial proceedings, Juventus faced a sweeping investigation marked by exceptionally thorough measures, including environmental wiretaps. He questioned the level of focus on Juventus in contrast to the general approach toward other Serie A sides, remarking, “An investigation on this scale has never been seen for other clubs. Similar allegations elsewhere have never reached the courts. Why?”

The club itself opted to seek a settlement for its part in the probe, effectively becoming a symbol of the authorities’ clampdown on accounting irregularities, even as some transactions initially thought to be artificial were not ultimately judged as such during the process.

The investigation falls within the context of the “Prisma” operation, which scrutinized player exchanges and accounting at Juventus. The legal process remains in flux—a judge could still reject potential settlements for former executives, with the possibility of a compensation payment of €700,000 also raised. No formal resolution has been recorded to date.

This episode has sharpened debate over the broader landscape in Italian football, where capital gains from player trading have long been used to balance accounts but rarely faced systematic investigations or sanctions. Juventus’ treatment, as underscored in Ravezzani’s critique, suggests a double standard, raising questions about transparency and consistency in enforcing financial regulations within the game.

Source: Tutto Juve