The move could delay the start of the new Italian football season, which begins on the weekend of September 9-10.

Juventus, who took the decision to turn to the criminal courts after a board meeting at the club's Turin headquarters on Monday, are demanding to be reinstated in Italy's top division.

The club are unhappy that the four other clubs found guilty of match-fixing - AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina - were all allowed to retain their status in the top flight.

"The santions imposed on Juventus are disproportionate," the club said in a statement.

"It's incomprehensible that Juventus should be treated with the most severity."

Juventus, who were found guilty of rigging matches in the 2004-05 season, will take their case up with the Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Lazio, which has the authority to overturn rulings made by sports federation bodies.

Juventus were given their punishment by the Italian football federation (FIGC), but appealed to the Italian Olympic Committe (CONI) for a lighter sentence.

CONI, the governing body of Italian sport which oversees the activities of all the various federations, including the FIGC, turned the appeal down and the likelihood is that the TAR will do the same given their reluctance to interfere in sports matters.

The match-fixing scandal broke in May after transcripts of the then Juve general manager Luciano Moggi telling the head of Italy's referees association which officials to appoint to specific Juventus games were published in Italian newspapers.

Moggi used his power and influence as the key figure at Italy's most successful club to assert control of the pool of referees and high-ranked FIGC officials.