Former Juventus executive Fabio Paratici, now at Tottenham, has given an exclusive interview to Sky Sport Insider, reflecting on his professional journey — past and present — and revisiting the most talked-about chapter of his career: the plusvalenze (capital gains) case that shook Italian football.
On the Juventus Years and the Plusvalenze Case
Paratici recalled his long tenure in Turin, marked by triumphs and turmoil. Speaking about the scandal that led to his suspension, he said:
“Because of my nature, when I faced this situation, I felt ashamed to defend myself. You defend yourself when you’ve done something wrong — but inside, I always knew I hadn’t. For 11 years I lived thinking 24 hours a day about Juventus and how to do the best possible, both in sporting and relational terms. I even felt a kind of embarrassment in having to say that I hadn’t done anything wrong.”
He went on to explain how the lengthy legal process affected him personally and professionally:
“It was a very long affair. At first you feel lost — you don’t understand what’s happening because you’re not used to it. You face arguments and situations you never thought you’d have to. In the end, you almost feel improved as a person. As an executive, you get the chance to discover a part of life you didn’t know. I watched my children play, refreshed my mind by studying youth systems more deeply. No one has ever explained that Juventus, myself, and the other people involved were condemned not for an ‘artificial’ or distorted valuation of players, but for an accounting principle never used before. Not even after. It was never even discussed. It became a big topic simply because it was the most popular one — yet there are dozens of criteria by which a player’s value can change. Otherwise, we wouldn’t talk about market opportunities. There must always be a logical range for market operators, but in the end, it becomes a matter of complete subjectivity.”
On the Plea Bargain
On accepting the plea agreement, Paratici described it as a pragmatic decision:
“It was a responsible choice. This case lasted four and a half years… The sporting suspension had already been served, and the criminal trial was still at the preliminary hearing. We had no certainty about when or how it would end. The whole affair had become highly publicised. Professionally, it also affects your opportunities. So we decided responsibly to request the application of the sentence and closed the matter once and for all.”
On the Near Move to Milan
When asked about his reported near-appointment at AC Milan, he replied succinctly:
“Let’s say we were very close. If the marriage didn’t go through, I’m not here to ask myself why.”
On Returning to Tottenham
Paratici expressed gratitude towards Tottenham for their loyalty and support:
“Yes, because they really made me feel at home. I arrived in June 2021, then in November that strong situation arose. It wasn’t easy — you’re in a place where people only partly know you, and you fear being judged differently. But here, they never judged me — they supported and helped me. There was never a moment when I felt doubt towards me. I remained as a consultant out of respect for a club that had nothing to do with what happened. When the suspension ended, I resumed my work. I have to thank everyone.”
On His Role as a Director
Reflecting on his career philosophy, Paratici underlined his technical vocation:
“Everyone has their own characteristics. I see myself as more of a technical person. But when you have such a role and a club gives you what we call ‘firepower’ — salaries, investments, amortisations — you have a number, and you must do the best with it. I’ve done this job for 22 years, but only with three clubs: six years at Sampdoria, eleven at Juventus, and five at Tottenham. And I believe no one can judge you better than those who work with you or own the club. That’s the only judgment that counts.”
“At Juve We Did an Incredible Job”
Looking back on Juventus’ nine-year dominance in Serie A, Paratici highlighted both success and disappointment:
“The first thing I can say is that you forget everything you win very quickly, while what you lose stays with you. That’s how it is for me — I remember more what I lost, like the Champions League finals with Juventus, the Super Cup with Tottenham, or the Coppa Italia final with Sampdoria, which was my first as a director. I still remember those as physical pain. When you win, it almost feels normal. Think about Juve: to repeat ourselves for nine consecutive years is something extraordinary. If you do 365 times 9, that’s a crazy calculation — about 3,500 days at the top of the table. To do that, you need to start every Monday with a winning mentality. That was something incredible by everyone who worked at Juventus — something very hard to repeat.”
On the Premier League and Its Global Scale
Comparing English football to Italy’s, he praised the Premier League’s infrastructure and branding:
“The approach is totally different — it’s an institution, a global brand as big as the NBA. It’s watched all over the world, with broadcasting rights sold almost everywhere. This creates a model that others can look to. In Italy, the first thing we must work on is infrastructure: stadiums and training centres are fundamental. Start from there, and then we’ll see what happens.”
On the New Juventus and Luciano Spalletti
Asked about today’s Juventus, Paratici chose not to interfere in matters beyond his time:
“That’s a question that used to irritate me when I was at Juventus if asked of others. How could they answer if sometimes even I didn’t know what the problem was? I never allowed myself to give advice to those working there. It would feel wrong.”
Finally, he shared his thoughts on the coaching situation and his friendship with Igor Tudor:
“First of all, I want to clarify that I’m very close to Igor Tudor. I’m really sorry because he deserved this chance after many tough experiences, and I’m disappointed with how it ended — for him and for Juventus. Luciano [Spalletti] is a great coach — I don’t need to be the one to say it. I wish him all possible success.”
