Fabio Paratici court case begins today with preliminary trial against 12 former Juventus executives

A court case against 12 former Juventus executives — including Tottenham Hotspur managing director of football Fabio Paratici — will begin today.

A preliminary committal hearing, to be heard by judge Marco Picco, in the Prisma investigation is due to take place at the Court of Turin, after local prosecutors alleged that the club were guilty of financial malpractice.

Juventus are accused of false corporate communications, false communications to the stock market, obstruction of a supervisory authority (CONSOB) and fraud, with prosecutors alleging that transfer revenue was artificially inflated in a bid to balance their books.

The preliminary hearing will determine whether to indict the 12 former Juventus executives and directors accused of overseeing the alleged malpractice, and make them stand trial. All those involved deny any wrongdoing.

Those implicated include Juventus’ former chairman Andrea Agnelli, vice-president and former midfielder Pavel Nedevd and CEO Maurizio Arrivabene. All three men quit their roles on the board in December as the crisis surrounding the club intensified.

Monday’s hearing is separate from the sporting cases against Juventus, of which there are two. The Board of Guarantors of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) will rule on whether to uphold or annul the 15-point penalty in the capital gains case on April 19 and the Italian FA (FIGC) has a case open regarding alleged salary manoeuvres.

Paratici left Juventus in June 2021 to take on the role of Tottenham sporting director but the allegations against his former club have continued to dog him in England.

In January, he was banned by the Italian Football Federation from holding any post in the Italian game for 30 months. Bans were also issued to Agnelli, Arrivabene (both two years) and Nedved (eight months).

Juventus, meanwhile, were given a 15-point deduction this season, dealing a huge blow to their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

The timing of the case adds to the sense of turmoil at Tottenham, with Antonio Conte departing by mutual consent as head coach on Sunday night, just over a week after he had delivered an outspoken attack on his players and the club’s culture of under-achievement shortly after the 3-3 draw with Southampton.

Paratici will, in theory, have an important role in Tottenham’s search for a new manager, although the appointment of Conte’s former assistants Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason as interim head coaches until the end of the season, has at least bought the club more time.

When asked by Italian TV journalists for the Report programme about the Turin prosecutors’ case, Paratici said: “Everyone has their own view of course, but as you say, now it’s really one-sided. There’s someone on the attack and someone else who can only defend and can’t pass the halfway line.”

Juventus deny any wrongdoing. In a club statement, they said: “Juventus remains convinced… to have acted in compliance with the laws and regulations governing the preparations of financial reports, in accordance with accounting principles and in line with the international practice in the football industry.”

(Photo: Getty Imaes)