Serie A is one of the football leagues with many scandals. Four Italian representatives are present in the top tier among the top 5 teams in Europe that have been heavily penalized over the years for financial violations or match-fixing.
1. LAZIO SURVIVES AMID CALCIOPOLI CHAOS
Among the teams implicated in the Calciopoli scandal, which involved match-fixing, are Juventus, Lazio, Milan, and Fiorentina. Being the most severely penalized, Juventus was demoted to Serie B, while Lazio received a 30-point deduction.
Although not as harsh as Juventus’s, Lazio’s punishment saw them drop from 6th place in the group qualifying for the next season’s European Cup to 16th. Livorno replaced Lazio in the UEFA Cup, a team currently struggling in Serie D.
Fortunately, despite losing many points, Lazio avoided relegation in the 2005/06 season, finishing with three more points than the team ranked 3rd from the bottom. The Rome-based team overcame the Calciopoli shadow in the following season to finish in 3rd place.
2. FIORENTINA’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DREAM SHATTERED
Fiorentina, deeply involved in the Calciopoli scandal, also faced penalties similar to Lazio’s, receiving a 30-point deduction. From 4th place, securing a Champions League spot, Fiorentina ended the 2005/06 season in 9th place.
Verona was lucky to replace Fiorentina in the Champions League the following season. However, their European journey was short-lived, as they were eliminated in the third qualifying round.
After missing out due to Calciopoli, Fiorentina returned to the Champions League in the 2008/09 season. They were drawn into Group F, finishing 3rd behind Bayern Munich and Lyon, subsequently entering the UEFA Cup.
3. MILAN HANDS SCUDETTO TO INTER
AC Milan, the last team heavily penalized in the Calciopoli scandal, received a 30-point deduction, similar to Lazio and Fiorentina. Milan would have undoubtedly won Serie A if not for the significant point loss in the 2005/06 season. However, Inter took advantage, rising from 2nd place to claim the Scudetto with 76 points.
The only consolation for Milan was finishing the 2005/06 season in 3rd place. This allowed them to qualify for the Champions League the following season. Unexpectedly, Milan rose above the setback and won the European title, defeating Liverpool 2-1 in the final.
4. LEEDS ONCE RECEIVED A 15-POINT DEDUCTION
The 2007/08 season began uniquely for Leeds United. They were docked 15 points due to financial issues before the start of the campaign. Financial difficulties also meant they entered the new season without any squad reinforcements.
However, Leeds overcame the odds, experiencing several highs in the 2007/08 season in the Championship, finishing 5th. Although they reached the playoff final, Leeds failed to secure promotion to the Premier League, losing to Doncaster Rovers.
From a team that once made headlines in the Premier League, Leeds spent over a decade in the lower leagues. Only in the 2019/20 season, under the guidance of talented manager Marcelo Bielsa, did Leeds win the Championship and earn promotion to the Premier League.
5. JUVENTUS ABSENT FROM EUROPEAN COMPETITIONS
As mentioned earlier, Juve was previously demoted due to Calciopoli, but they faced another scandal related to transfer activities in the 2022/23 season. Initially, there were calls for severe punishment, considering their past offenses. However, the disciplinary committee settled on a 10-point deduction as a deterrent.
Despite being a team qualified for the Champions League, Juventus plummeted to 7th place in the standings. This meant they only had enough points to participate in the UEFA Conference League the following season. Unfortunately, UEFA later decided not to allow Juventus to compete in the Conference League.
