ROME (Reuters) - The relegation of Juventus to Serie B for their role
in a match-fixing scandal was confirmed by an Italian soccer appeal
court on Tuesday but Lazio and Fiorentina received a reprieve and will
stay in Serie A.
AC Milan will also remain in the top flight as decided previously with
a smaller number of points deducted - minus eight rather than minus 15.
They will also be entered for the third qualifying round of the
Champions League.
Juve did receive some clemency with the appeals court reducing the
penalty points they start next season with from minus 30 to minus 17.
The decision to revoke the last two Italian league titles won by
Juventus in 2005 and 2006 was confirmed by the appeals court although
no decision has yet been made on who will be declared champions for
those two seasons.
While not the kind of change the Turin club had hoped for the reduction
does give them a chance to push for promotion back to the top flight
Serie A next season.
The court overturned a tribunal's decision to relegate Fiorentina and
Lazio, allowing them to stay in Serie A next season but with a heavy
penalty.
Fiorentina will start the new season with minus 19 points and Lazio
with minus 11 points.
AC Milan's penalty points for next season were reduced from minus 15 to
minus 8 and the retrospective punishment on last season's points tally
was reduced from minus 44 to minus 30.
Italy's two teams automatically entered in the Champions League next
season will be Inter Milan and AS Roma.