The Unbearable Unfairness of Being (in UEFA Competitions)

When Juventus, Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio were investigated for the match-fixing scandal last season, the majority of soccer fans expected some sort of punishment to be handed out against these four teams.

The question wasn't "IF" any punishment would be given out, but "WHICH" punishment would be handed out. Point penalty? Relegation? Stripping of titles?

But for the lowly Empoli, it seems that they never expect that the clubs would be punished. Instead, they are now the one being punished and hit the hardest.

Empoli finished a creditable 10th in Serie A last season. And after the dust has been settled and all penalties given out, Empoli was eventually classified seventh and suddenly found themselves qualified for the UEFA Cup, a major financial boost for them.

But there is one problem: They don't have a licence for UEFA competitions, and the deadline for application had come and passed.

To their credit, they did submit an emergency application for the licence shortly after the deadline, hoping for leniency. Yet like many other feel-good stories, this one had an unhappy ending too. Their application was turned down, and their place in the UEFA Cup has been taken up by Parma, which finished the season level on points with Empoli and, most importantly, having obtained the UEFA licence thanks to their regular qualification into UEFA competitions a number of years ago.

It would have been a proud moment for the financially-challenged Tuscany club to appear in the big stage for the very first time in their history. Now they have to stay home and watch Parma, which had beaten them home and away last season.

To me, UEFA's refusal to grant the licence to Empoli is pathetic and unfair, as clubs just don't expect to be promoted three places after the end of the season, and all of a sudden into UEFA competitions. Empoli simply didn't have time to make amends, and UEFA's refusal was an out-and-out cold-blooded move.

And incidentally, Milan has been admitted by UEFA for the Champions League this season.

In the end, it probably comes to down the finances.

Would you rather pay to watch Milan, a team with star players in all positions, or lowly Empoli, an unfashionable club mostly consists of promising home-grown talents?

And you bet UEFA knows which side of the bread is buttered on.