Juventus slapped with 15-POINT deduction over transfer scam with Spurs chief Paratici BANNED for two-and-a-half years

SPURS were rocked last night after director of football Fabio Paratici was handed a two-and-a-half YEAR ban from the game by an Italian court.

Paratici was found guilty of orchestrating a transfer scam over three seasons at Juventus.

ReutersSpurs chief Fabio Paratici has been handed a two-and-a-half year ban from football[/caption]

AlamyMassimiliano Allegri’s Juventus have also been hit with a 15-point penalty[/caption]

And the Italian giants had the heart ripped out of their season as they were given a huge 15-point penalty for the plot.

The shock finding means the FA is now likely to be asked to implement the suspension by its Italian counterparts, leaving Spurs in the lurch and chairman Daniel Levy searching to plug a huge hole at the top of the club.

SunSport understands Wembley chiefs are unclear if the sanction is one that they must automatically apply or await direction from Fifa.

But normally associations accept the disciplinary decisions of fellow governing bodies and while it is expected Paratici will appeal the verdict – of the Federal Appeals Court – his future at Tottenham appears bleak.

Juventus were accused of inflating transfer fees in dealings with other Italian clubs over three seasons to create millions of pounds in “capital gains” for tax purposes.

It was stated that Juve had manipulated the system to free up their spending powers in the market.

Juve and eight clubs, including Sampdoria, Genoa and Parma, were initially acquitted in May.

But that verdict was appealed to the Federal Appeals Court and Italian FA prosecutors asked the case to be reheard and for serious sanctions at yesterday’s hearing.

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Prosecuting lawyer Giuseppe Chine had only asked for an immediate nine-point penalty.

Instead, the “Old Lady” were mugged for 15 points, dropping them from third in the Serie A table down to 11th and 12 points adrift of the fourth and final Champions League spot, now taken by Lazio.

Chine, acting on behalf of the FA, also demanded lengthy bans for Paratici and axed Juve board chiefs Andrea Agnelli and Pavel Nedved among others and fines totalling £1m for the clubs involved in the scheme.

Juventus lawyer Maurizio Bellacosa argued the appeal was “inadmissible”, pointing to the legal principle that “nobody can be prosecuted or criminally convicted of an offence for which they have already been acquitted”.

But that position was dismissed by the Court, even though it ruled that sanctions should only apply to Juventus and its officials and none of the other clubs.

Paratici, 50, who joined Spurs 18 months ago to take charge of recruitment in N17, was handed the heaviest punishment.

Agnelli, who formally stood down as Juve President this week, and chief executive Maurizio Arrivabene – who was formerly Principal of the Ferrari F1 team – were both given two-year bans.

Nedved, who also left the club this week, is suspended from football for eight months, along with a number of club officials.

The findings are also likely to have more serious implications for Juventus with Uefa poised to open an investigation into the financial dealings which are likely to lead to a lengthy European ban,