Newcastle United hero Sandro Tonali and Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo face at least three-year bans for betting. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Exit of active players in the English Premier League
The Italian national football team will be without two of the Premier League’s in-form midfielders when they face England on Tuesday after the duo left the training camp following a gambling investigation by the Turin prosecutor’s office.
The two candidates are Sandro Tonali, 23, who has become a household name at English club Newcastle United, and Nicolo Zaniolo, 24, from Aston Villa. Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano took to X on Friday to report that the players had left the Italy camp after police questioning:
according to Football ItalyProsecutor Tonali and Wozniolo have informed that they are the subject of a betting investigation after Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli turned himself in on charges of illegal online betting.
The English-language news site notes that Tonali and Zignolo made the bets while they were still in Italy playing for Italian clubs Milan and Italian club Roma, respectively.
problem in the future
According to Italian media, police interrogated Tonali Wozniolo in Coverciano, the technical headquarters of the Italian Football Federation and the training ground for the national team.
While the duo will miss Italy’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and England on Saturday and Tuesday respectively, that is likely to be the least of their worries at the moment.
according to Football Italy, “All football players in Italy are prohibited from betting on any football event.” Which fall under FIFA, UEFA or FIGC events.
In Italy, the minimum penalty for betting on football matches is three years.
Unlike England, where the FA banned Toney for eight months, the minimum penalty for betting on football matches in Italy is three years.
Things get worse
according to football italy, If the Italian Federation imposes a ban on Tonali and Wozniolo for allegedly betting on Serie A matches, FIFA will then extend the ban worldwide.
Of the Italian trio facing a minimum ban of three years, Aston Villa’s Zaniolo appears to be in the hottest time. The midfielder allegedly bet on a Coppa Italia match involving his then Serie A team Roma while he was still on the active roster.
