Italian referee Mauro Bergonzi will not officiate in this week's matches and looks set to be dropped for a longer period after wrongly awarding two penalties against Juventus on Saturday.
Juve lost 3-1 at Napoli having been level at 1-1 before Maurizio Domizzi converted both controversial spotkicks.
Bergonzi decided Giorgio Chiellini fouled Ezequiel Lavezzi despite replays showing he won the ball and the official pointed to the spot again after former Juve striker Marcelo Zalayeta dived over keeper Gianluigi Buffon.
The referee has not been selected for any of Tuesday's Serie B games or Wednesday's Serie A matches, the Italian Soccer Federation Web site (www.figc.it) said.
Media reports have said referees' chief Pierluigi Collina could now ban Bergonzi for as much as a month and then keep him in Serie B for longer.
An online petition asking for the referee to be struck off has received thousands of signatures on a well-known Juventus fan Web site.
Zalayeta could also face a suspension for diving when the league's disciplinary committee meet this week.
Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri said he hoped his club were not being victimised because of their role in last year's match-fixing scandal, which involved clubs securing favourable referees.
Juve were stripped of two titles and demoted in the affair but won promotion straight back to the top flight last term.
"We have already paid for the past, two championships and a relegation. We want to be treated like everyone else," he told Italian media.
23 10 2007
Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved was banned for two matches Tuesday for elbowing an opponent in the Serie A last week.
Nedved was sent off in the closing minutes of Juventus' 1-0 win over Genoa on Sunday and will miss Saturday's game at Napoli and next week's match against Empoli.
The Italian soccer league's disciplinary committee also suspended Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri for one match after he was dismissed from the sidelines for protesting.
Five other players were also banned for one to three matches for various offenses.
It is not the first time Nedved has lashed out at a Genoa player. The midfielder received a five-match ban last season for deliberately stepping on an opponent at the Luigi Ferraris stadium, when both teams played in the second division.
Juventus is second in the Serie A with 17 points, three behind Inter Milan but five more than Genoa, which is tied for fifth.
19 10 2007
Portuguese midfielder Tiago Mendes' days at Juventus seem to be numbered after the unsettled ace admitted his frustration at the club.
The ex-Chelsea man has struggled to make his mark and is poorly suited to boss Claudio Ranieri's new tactics.
Having experienced harsh criticism from fans and the Press alike, summer arrival Tiago may be ready to call a premature halt to his Italian adventure.
'If things carry on like this I'll leave in January,' the 26-year-old raged.
'I've spoken to Ranieri and told him that I'm not happy because this isn't what I came here for. So far my time with Juve has been a disappointment. I thought I'd be a first-choice player, but it has been the exact opposite and my time here hasn't been easy. Initially I admit that I felt tired, but I got back into shape by the time the season started and the boss has still preferred other players.'
Tiago is set to sit on the bench once more for the Old Lady's game against Genoa this weekend.
26 09 2007
Juventus Coach Claudio Ranieri is looking to take advantage of the precarious situation at his former club Chelsea by launching a January transfer bid for Brazilian defender Alex.
The summer recruit from PSV Eindhoven is believed to be furious after bring dropped by new Blues boss Avram Grant during Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Manchester United.
Grant took over as Chelsea manager last week after the shock departure of Jose Mourinho. For the Premiership match at Old Trafford, Grant decided to pick his old Israel protege Tal Ben Haim ahead of Alex and the Brazilian believes that Ben Haim will always be picked ahead of him as the ex-Bolton stopper is very close to the coach.
Juventus are in desperate need of at least one centre-back after star defender Jorge Andrade was virtually ruled out for the rest of the season after breaking his kneecap during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Roma.
A host of stoppers have been linked with the Bianconeri, including the likes of Bransilav Ivanovic, Diego Lugano, Tomas Ujfalusi, Luigi Di Biagio and ex-Juve man Lilian Thuram.
In England the Daily Mail is today reporting that Ranieri will bid for Alex in January and is confident of getting his man due to all the confusion and disarray at his former club.
25 09 2007
After the horrific injury sustained by defender Jorge Andrade on Sunday, French veteran Lilian Thuram is the latest defender to be linked with Juventus.
Portugal defender, Andrade, sustained a broken kneecap during the 2-2 draw with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. Early reports suggested that the defender was almost certain to miss the rest of the season and La Gazzetta dello Sport even claimed that the player's career may be over.
It now appears that Andrade will be out until March but this still leaves Juventus Coach Claudio Ranieri desperate to bring in at least one top-class central defender.
The Bianconeri have been linked with a host of players since Sunday. Branislav Ivanovic, Diego Lugano, Luigi Di Biagio, Paolo Negro and most recently Tomas Ujfalusi have all been touted as possible replacements.
Tuttosport are now reporting that the Juventus hierarchy will make their move for out-of-favour Barcelona centre back Lilian Thuram. The French legend played for Juventus for five seasons between 2001 and 2006, winning four Scudetti.
He left to join the Spanish-giants after the Calciopoli scandal in 2006 but has lost his place in the Barca first-team and now finds himself way down the defensive pecking order, behind the likes of Carles Puyol, Rafael Marquez and new signing Gabriel Milito.
Thuram, who will turn 36 in January, is believed to be in favour of the move in order to get regular first-team football ahead of the Euro 2008 Championships next June. Ranieri has also given his go-ahead as he believes the France record cap-holder will act as the perfect mentor for the young Domenico Criscito, whilst also adding some much-needed experience to the Juve back-line.
