When UEFA first launched the Conference League a couple of years ago, Juventus fans certainly didn’t envision their club taking part in the continent’s third-tier competition. Yet, a 10-point deduction in the Plusvalenze investigation did the trick, parachuting Madama from third place to seventh in the Serie A standings, sentencing the club to a scarcely desired campaign in Europe’s least prestigious tournament.
Nevertheless, the Bianconeri may not participate in the competition after all. According to circulating news, the management might agree to a plea bargain with UEFA that would see the club sit out of European competitions for a year.
This would settle all legal issues between the new Juventus hierarchy and the governing body of European football, paving the way for a fresh chapter between the two parties that have been embroiled in an open conflict since the controversial announcement of the European Super League project back in April 2021.
But with the new management increasingly distancing itself from the policies of former Juventus president Andrea Agnelli and extending an olive branch to UEFA, the Turin-based club is ready to return to the governing body’s good graces, happy to sacrifice an inglorious Conference League campaign. However, missing out on the relatively new tournament would have its benefits as well as its disadvantages.
So let’s enumerate some of the pros and cons of Juventus dropping out of the Conference League.
Pro #1: Fresh Start
As we mentioned above, Juventus are working on reconciling with UEFA, and this would require some sort of settlement that cleans up the enormous mess created by the old regime. So if it comes at the expense of the Conference League, let it be.
After all, this isn’t a competition that a European giant like Juventus would fancy. The club would rather sit this year out and start fresh like a daisy in the following campaign.
With all due respect to the Conference League, this feels like a small sacrifice in comparison to what Juventus should gain from a plea bargain that lifts the looming shadow of severer punishments over the club.
Con #1: Missing Out on a Potential Trophy
As they say, a trophy is a trophy. So by getting dismissed from the Conference League, Juventus would miss out on an inviting opportunity to win their first European title in almost three decades.
As we all know, the Bianconeri have been incredibly misfortunate on the continental scene since lifting the Champions League trophy in 1996 at the Olimpico Stadium. The club lost a whopping five UCL finals ever since, setting a record of seven finale defeats.
In the last decade, Madama also had a couple of decent runs in the Europa League, but both ended in the semi-final. So perhaps, the continent’s third-tier tournament would serve as a curse breaker, paving the way towards more prestigious exploits in the future.
Pro #2: Spared of Another Embarrassment
On paper, if Juventus were to enter the Conference League ranks, they will definitely be earmarked as the clear favorites. Perhaps only Aston Villa might have decent odds thanks to their Premier League riches.
But as the Bianconeri faithful would tell you, the outcome on the pitch doesn’t necessarily portray the odds. Because “on paper”, Juventus were supposed to breathe past Ajax in 2019, Lyon in 2020, Porto in 2021, Villarreal in 2022 and the likes of Maccabi Haifa and Benfica last season.
To put it mildly, things didn’t go according to plan for the club in recent years, with every new campaign adding more embarrassing results for a gigantic club that had clearly lost its way on the sporting and administral levels.
Therefore, who’s to say that Juventus won’t suffer another upset against some European minnows who were so delighted to share the same turf with such a glamorous foe that they gave their all on the pitch.
So perhaps, the Old Lady would do well to spare herself the blushes.
Con #2: Less Playing Time for Youngsters
As we all know, the Bianconeri are now building a new era on the shoulders of young players, many of them developing in the club’s youth sector. Therefore, granting these youngsters enough playing time is of paramount importance.
In this regard, the Conference League would come extremely handy for Juventus, as it allows the manager to thrust the up-and-coming starlets in matches against opponents who hail from lower-level leagues, especially those who don’t feature regularly in Serie A.
Thus, dropping out of Europe would cost these youngsters valuable playing time.
Pro #3: Focusing on Serie A
On the other hand, playing once per week means Allegri will have fresh legs every weekend, while also having the opportunity to do some extended tactical preparations, especially ahead of crunch domestic battles.
As we’ve seen in the past, several Serie A clubs took advantage of the lack of midweek commitment and enjoyed a prosperous domestic campaign, including Juventus who launched their majestic nine-year winning dynasty in 2011/12 without having to deal with continental occupations.
Con #3: Coefficient Drop
Although the Conference League isn’t the most prestigious of competitions, it allows participants to improve their UEFA coefficient, especially a club like Juventus who’d be tipped to collect routine wins on a weekly basis.
On the other hand, sitting out of Europe completely would cost the Northern giants some valuable points and would surely cause a dip in their European ranking, with fellow top European clubs stealing a march on the Old Lady.
This means that the club might find itself in the lower pots in the draw when they inevitably return to European competitions. This might also cost them a place in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Conclusion
All in all, dropping out of the Conference League certainly has its advantages and disadvantages, but perhaps the pros slightly outweigh the cons, especially if Juventus manage to settle their differences with UEFA and launch a more amicable chapter in the relationship between the two parties.
Moreover, the midweek gap should pay dividends, allowing the club to focus solely on every Serie A fixture. This could make an immense difference at the end of a crucial campaign for the club.
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