Juventus is preparing for much more financial suffering as they approach Champions League elimination, a month after declaring their largest-ever financial deficit.
With two games remaining, Maccabi Haifa's dismal 2-0 loss on Tuesday left chief executive Andrea Agnelli feeling "ashamed" and "mad" as his team fell five points behind second-placed Benfica in Group H.
For the first time since 2013, they risk failing to advance past the group stage.
The club was forced to stay at their camp for three days prior to Saturday's league derby against Torino by coach Massimiliano Allegri, who is going through a trying second stint following a trophy-laden first one.
Juve's difficulties in Europe occur at a particularly difficult time for the team; last month, the club announced a loss of 254 million euros ($247.07 million) for the previous fiscal year.
Juventus will forfeit 9.6 million euros in prize money for making it to the round of 16 in the Champions League, as well as a potential 38.6 million euros should they make it to the final.
Long-term, the team's failure to finish in the top four of Serie A and advance to the tournament would be of greater worry. This threat is extremely real given that the squad is now seventh in the rankings.
Agnelli, one of the designers of the failed European Super League, has reached a new low as a result of the team's dismal performance.
The proposed league, which disintegrated two days after its April 2021 debut, attempted to enhance prize money, ensure entry for the biggest teams on the continent, and protect against the effects of one unsuccessful season.
Along with Barcelona, who are also on the verge of being eliminated from the Champions League, and Real Madrid, Juventus is one of only three teams of the original 12 to continue to support the Super League. A case being heard by the highest court of the European Union could save the project, in their opinion.
Although their troubles then might be attributed to the disastrous impact of the 2006 Calciopoli corruption scandal, Juventus' current struggles are their most challenging since the 2010–11 season, when they placed eighth in Serie A.
It is tougher to excuse their current struggles. Between 2012 and 2020, Juve set a record by winning nine straight Serie A championships. During this time, they also advanced to two Champions League finals.
After the disastrous appointments of Maurizio Sarri and inexperienced Andrea Pirlo, Allegri returned as coach in 2021 in the hopes of bringing them back to their former glories.
But the coach has been accused of refusing to adapt and steadfastly using antiquated strategies. Despite the appalling results, Agnelli has vowed not to fire Allegri in the middle of the campaign.
"This kind of circumstance is not dependent on a single person. When it comes down to it, we must think as a group once more "On Tuesday, he stated.
The issue for Agnelli is that Juventus have been losing ground both on and off the field for a number of years.
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