Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali And Nicolò Zaniolo Of Aston Villa Implicated In Italian Betting Scandal
On October 12, 2023, Sandro Tonali from Italy was seen preparing for a training session with the national team at the Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano in Florence. This was captured in a photo taken by Claudio Villa/Getty Images.
Sandro Tonali, a midfielder for Newcastle United, and Nicolò Zaniolo, who plays for Aston Villa, have been removed from the Italian national team due to accusations of engaging in illegal betting activities. A third player, Nicolò Fagioli from Juventus, has also been implicated in the investigation.
As per an article in the Italian media, law enforcement officials reached the Italy practice facility located at Coverciano at 5:40pm local time for the purpose of interrogating them.
The Premier PINC League players Tonali and Zaniolo were sent back to their clubs by the Italian Football Association (FIGC). This happened as the Azzurri had a match against Malta scheduled on Saturday, followed by an away game against England on Tuesday.
Luciano Spalletti, the manager, has invited Torino's Samuele Ricci and Stephan El Sharaawy of Roma to substitute for the team.
According to reports, if Tonali and Zaniolo were to receive a ban, it would be enforced globally.
La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, has reported that additional individuals implicated in the controversy might be revealed in the upcoming days.
According to the lawyer for Fagioli, the 22-year-old voluntarily surrendered himself to the authorities regarding the accusations of participating in illegal betting activities. Recent reports indicate that Fagioli has confessed to the wrongdoing and has handed over his mobile phone to be used as evidence.
Enrica Gabetta, the head prosecutor in Turin, has already stated that there is an ongoing investigation regarding the Italian football player. Moreover, the Italian Football Federation has initiated its own set of legal actions.
it has been alleged that Fagioli has engaged in a form of betting. However, the specific type of betting has not been disclosed to the public at this time.
According to the rules set by FIGC, if a football player is discovered to have participated in gambling, they may face a suspension of no less than three years and may also be fined a minimum of €25,000 ($26,520).
Nicolo Fagioli from Juventus made a gesture during the Serie A TIM game against US Lecce at the Allianz Stadium on September 26, 2023 in Turin, Italy. A photo of the event was taken by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images.
According to Lawyer Luca Ferrari, Nicolò is focused on Juventus and the upcoming season. Ferrari also stated that Nicolò is dealing with a recent news report responsibly and is fully transparent and cooperative with both legal and sports authorities. In fact, Nicolò was quick to take action and reach out to the Federal Prosecutor's Office. Overall, Ferrari emphasized that Nicolò is calm and committed to handling the situation with the utmost care and diligence.
This season, Fagioli has played in six games for the Bianconeri. He first caught the attention of manager Max Allegri in the 2022/23 season, when he made 17 starts for Juve, scoring three times and assisting three other goals.
In the meantime, Tonali has rapidly established himself as an essential part of Eddie Howe's Newcastle team since his arrival from Milan during the summer. He has already participated in seven Premier League matches and started two in the Champions League.
On October 8, 2023, Nicolo Zaniolo from Aston Villa participated in the Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers held at Molineux in Wolverhampton, UK. The event was captured by James Baylis-AMA/Getty Images.
Zaniolo is currently playing for Aston Villa on loan from Galatasaray, a Turkish team. He has played in six games so far under the guidance of coach Unai Emery.
