On Saturday, Genoa were denied a UEFA license by Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC). It was the second year in a row that a team has failed to receive permission to compete in Europe after Parma failed to do so this time last season.
Last year the Crusaders should have gone to the Europa League as the sixth-placed team in the league but were denied their license because of late payment on a tax bill. That was the first obvious sign of the financial trouble the once-proud club was in. The decision to award their place to Torino turned out to be extremely perceptive.