Italian Football Club Relegation - Implications for Champions League Betting

Juventus have been stripped of their status as Serie A champions for both last season and the penultimate one, and have been relegated to the second division for its part in the soccer match-fixing scandal. Fiorentina and Lazio have also been relegated, while AC Milan have escaped a punishment of the same severity but will start their Serie A campaign with a fifteen-point handicap. Furthermore, the quartet of sides in question will all be barred from taking part in European competitions, such as the Champions League. The demotions mean that AS Roma, Palermo in Sicily and Chievo from Verona will play in the prestigious European competition. To a club of Juventus's stature - they are the fourth biggest side in Europe based on revenue - the effects of this will be pretty extreme. In excess of 80 per cent of the Turin-based club's income last season was gained via TV and sponsorship deals. As they have been convicted of wrongdoing, sponsors are entitled to either renegotiate or rescind their contracts with the club. If some of their bigger contracts fall through, like the one with Nike which guarantees them 187 millions euros over a twelve-year period, the consequences could be disastrous for Juve. It is reported that Fabio Capello, who resigned as Juve manager on July 4 to take over at Real Madrid, is confident of luring some key players to Madrid during what could turn out to be a player exodus. Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, a Juventus player voted the second-best at the World Cup, is thought to be bound for the Bernabeu. Bookmakers have reacted by cutting the price of Barcelona to retain their Champions League crown - Ladbrokes and Hills both have the Catalan side at 7/2, while the latter firm offer a top-priced 4/1 about Chelsea prevailing. Hills go 10/1 about Real Madrid, who are third favourites, ahead of French league champions Lyon, rated a 12/1 chance by both the Magic Sign and William Hill.