Juventus have been fined €10,000 after a section of their supporters disrupted a minute’s silence for Inter Milan great Sandro Mazzola before the weekend’s 2-0 win over Atalanta.
Key takeaways
- The Italian Football Federation imposed a €10,000 penalty on Juventus.
- The sanction followed the behaviour of supporters during the tribute to Sandro Mazzola.
- Fans in the first tier of the South Stand turned their backs on the pitch and sang during the silence.
- Juventus publicly condemned the incident soon afterwards, a response that helped reduce the punishment.
- The club could have faced a fine of up to €50,000 or a match behind closed doors.
Juventus punished after tribute disruption
The incident took place ahead of Juventus’ home victory over Atalanta, when a minute’s silence was observed for Mazzola, the former Inter player who died last week.
Mazzola is regarded as one of Inter’s defining figures, making the reaction particularly sensitive given the long-standing rivalry between the Nerazzurri and Juventus.
During the tribute, some Juventus supporters located in the lower section of the South Stand faced away from the field and continued singing rather than observing the silence.
Club response limits disciplinary sanction
Italian football authorities noted that Juventus moved quickly to denounce the behaviour. That stance was taken into account when the disciplinary penalty was set at €10,000.
In its response, Juventus said no sporting rivalry could excuse disrespect during a minute of silence. The club added that commemorations required a shared responsibility to honour the dead, regardless of colours or allegiances.
The final sanction was therefore considerably below the potential maximum, with the disciplinary framework allowing for a €50,000 fine or the possibility of a fixture being played without spectators.
