Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo are officially under investigation for illegal betting but more players are believed to be involved.
A new scandal has taken Italian football by storm. Apparently, Juventus midfielder Nicola Fagioli is just the tip of the iceberg with several more players involved in illegal betting. Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo have been interrogated by the Italian prosecutors while Roma’s Nicola Zalewski is the latest name under investigation although not yet official.
Both Tonali and Zaniolo have denied any wrongdoing. The former AC Milan star that joined Newcastle this summer admitted to gambling but only on casinos and blackjack. Tonali denied betting on football matches which is strictly prohibited to professional football players. The situation is much worse for Nicola Zalewski who on one occasion is reported to have bet on himself to get a yellow card and in that match the Roma midfielder ended up getting booked with a yellow.
However, these four names are only the beginning. La Repubblica reports that at least a dozen more Serie A players are involved in illegal betting. One of the rumored names is an AC Milan player while the other represents Inter. A journalist investigation is expected to be released soon with more information on the matter.
No concrete names are currently mentioned but the phenomenon (player betting) is very widespread according to La Repubblica and many of the clubs were aware of their players issues. Italian officials have been investigating since June. The phones and tablets of Tonali and Zanioli were seized by the prosecutors and both players were sent home by the national team. Both players were reportedly recruited into illegal betting sites by Fagioli who is rumored to have spend up to €1 million in gambling.
Until now AC Milan risk nothing from the case of Sandro Tonali. The Rossoneri have informed they had no idea on Tonali’s actions and only the player risks a total suspension of several years from football. A dodged bullet for AC Milan who decided to sell Tonali to Newcastle last summer for a fee of €80 million, add-ons included.
Legendary coach Arrigo Sacchi commented on the betting scandal. “I feel sorry for the players but there must be rules, otherwise there will be chaos. I’m very sorry for them but it’s right that they get a punishment, whether it should be important or not will be assessed by the investigations. This happens because a young player believes he is close to God and he thinks he can do whatever comes into his head. I am mostly surprised by Tonali. He is the one I know better and who also thinks the most on the pitch“, said the former AC Milan coach.
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