Milan's UEFA hopes & Bologna want A

Milan may still play European football next season, despite Friday's verdicts. The Rossoneri will see 44 points deducted from last term’s total, denying them a place in the UEFA Champions' League. However, even with this penalty, they find themselves only one place short of UEFA Cup qualification, and may now find a way into the competition at the expense of Empoli.

While Livorno and Parma are set to take advantage of the misfortune of Serie A’s most illustrious clubs, Empoli don’t yet have the necessary licence to enter the UEFA Cup. Should the Tuscan minnows fail to receive permission to enter, Milan would be the next club in line.

As things stand, Inter Milan and Roma will go straight into the Champions League group stages, while Palermo and Chievo will enter the preliminary round.

Juventus were relegated to Serie B with a 30-point deduction, Fiorentina and Lazio were also sent to the Second Division with penalties of 12 and seven points respectively. Milan were deemed to be the least guilty side, but still face the prospect of starting next season in Serie A with minus 15 points. All clubs are due to appeal.



Bologna President Alfredo Cazzola has called for his side to be promoted to Serie A due to the scandal. The Rossoblu spent last term in the Second Division, but now that the 2004-05 season has been declared void the club’s chief believes that their relegation was also invalid.

“I believe that we’ll get what we deserve,” Cazzola claimed. “Our position is the same as it ever has been and ever will be – we’re waiting for the damage that has been done to us to be recognised. We’ve started to prepare our case and we’re asking to be readmitted to Serie A as we were relegated in a season of foul play.”

At present Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina stand to be relegated, but rather than promoting Bologna, last year’s bottom three of Messina, Lecce and Treviso will avoid the drop.

View the 2004-05 table here >>>