Juventus shares rise 1.4 pct after soccer verdict

MILAN, July 17 (Reuters) Shares in Juventus rose 1.4 percent to 1.48 euros in early trade today after Italy's most successful soccer club were relegated to second division Serie B late on Friday as a punishment for match-fixing.

Prosecutors had asked for it to be sent to the third-tier Serie C.

Ex-champions Fiorentina and Lazio were also demoted to Serie B after a sports tribunal found the clubs guilty of offences in a match-fixing trial.

Bringing to a head the biggest scandal in European soccer for decades, the tribunal also ruled that AC Milan, although they will stay in Serie A, would have their points from last season reduced by 44 points -- ruling them out of next season's Champions League.

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