Il Corriere della Sera reports the involvement of Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Fagioli in a betting scandal in Italy is ‘just the tip of the iceberg’ and that ‘new names’ will emerge soon.
Investigators are analysing mobile phones and tablets belonging to both Italian midfielders and Nicolò Zaniolo, who, contrary to his compatriots, has denied gambling on football matches, saying he only played poker and blackjack, being unaware he had been using illegal online platforms.
Fagioli has already been banned for seven months, while Tonali could be suspended for over a year.
Il Corriere della Sera journalists Simona Lorenzetti and Massimiliano Nerozzi say, ‘This is just the tip of the iceberg’ as the investigation by the FIGC and Turin Prosecutor is still ongoing.
Italian media have published part of Fagioli’s interrogation with the FIGC Prosecutor, but Il Corriere highlights that a considerable part of documents given to the media were blanked.
Fagioli said that Tonali showed him an app to place illegal bets online while on international duty with Italy U21 in 2021, but ‘others were gambling too.’
Gossip columnist Fabrizio Corona has named three other Serie A players allegedly involved in the scandal, but according to Il Corriere della Sera, they are not under investigation.
On the contrary, lawyers of Nicolò Casale and Nicola Zalewski, two of the players mentioned by Corona, have announced they would sue the ex ‘King of Paparazzi’ for defamation.
Tonali has admitted gambling on Milan while under contract with the Rossoneri but only placed bets on his ex-club to win, while Fagioli denied he ever gambled on Juventus or Cremonese.
Investigators are scrutinising the players’ chats to determine whether other players, not only footballers, could be involved in the case, but according to Il Corriere della Sera, more names will emerge in the coming weeks.
What a mess