Italy’s Training Camp Shaken by Scandal as Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo Return to Their Clubs
In an unexpected turn of events, Italian football players Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo have been compelled to leave the Italian national team’s training camp.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced that the duo, who are respectively associated with Newcastle and Aston Villa,
were deemed unfit to participate in Italy’s upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers due to their involvement in an ongoing investigation by Italian prosecutors.
The FIGC has remained tight-lipped about the nature of the investigation, leaving the football community speculating about the potential implications.
However, Italian news agency ANSA reports that the investigation is linked to a wider illegal betting probe, shedding some light on the situation.
This announcement comes shortly after FIGC prosecutors initiated an investigation into Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli.
The 22-year-old Fagioli allegedly used multiple identities to place bets on illegal websites, creating further controversy within Italian football.
Former AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali, aged 23, and ex-AS Roma player Nicolo Zaniolo, aged 24, were informed of the investigation by Turin prosecutors at Italy’s Coverciano training center.
In response to these developments, the FIGC has decided to release the players to return to their respective clubs, acknowledging that they are not in the right condition to fulfill their national team commitments.
Italy is currently gearing up for two crucial Euro 2024 qualifiers.
They are set to host Malta on Saturday and then face England on Wednesday in Group C.
The Azzurri are in a challenging position, standing six points behind leaders England in the table.
Italy, the reigning Euro 2020 champions, finds themselves level on seven points with Ukraine and North Macedonia, although they have played one game less.
The sudden departure of Tonali and Zaniolo from the national camp has sent shockwaves through the footballing world,
leaving fans and pundits eager for further updates on the ongoing investigation.
As the story unfolds, it remains to be seen how this setback will impact the Italian national team’s pursuit of Euro 2024 qualification.
