Italy Coach Admits to Gambling Scandal ‘Trauma’ Ahead of England Game

As the Italy association football team prepares to make the field of force against England tonight, Italy chief handler Luciano Spalletti has admitted the gambling dirt engulfing the team made for “traumatic” preparation for the important Euro 2024 qualifier.

Defensive midfielder Sandro Tonali and attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo are under investigating by police force looking into illegal betting. Investigators turned upwardly at Italy’s grooming cantonment shoemaker's last Thursday to question the duo. The players feature been sent place from international obligation and will non child's play against England tonight.

Italian media reported this hebdomad that Tonali, who joined EPL social club Newcastle this summertime from Milan, has admitted betting on soccer games via an illegal platform. Zaniolo has denied betting on games, but admitted to playing online stove poker and blackjack, although he claims he did not cognise the sites he used were illegal. He currently plays for the EPL’s Aston Villa.

Fagioli Wants Plea Deal

The constabulary bust on the training encampment came a daylight after Juventus exchange midfielder Nicolo Fagioli turned himself inward to the Torino Prosecutor’s Office to allow in to betting on games. Italian media reports he is seeking a plea business deal in the trust of receiving a lighter punishment.

Players found breaking Italian soccer’s rules against betting on games face up to a three-year forbiddance from the sport.

Fagioli made his international debut last-place November and could feature featured against England on Tuesday dark were he not already entangled inward the betting scandal.

With this misadventure, we’ve all been affected by this,” Spalletti said in Monday’s pre-match military press conference, as translated past The Daily Mirror. “We demand to run forward. We make to focal point on what our goals are. They’re undecomposed players. But we can’t depend solely on these players inwards prescribe to get under one's skin a result.”

Spalleti said that the proceedings had been “traumatic,” especially with constabulary turn upwards at the training camp. The other players were “surprised and upset.”

“Some of us were capable to pay [Tonali and Zaniolo] a hug before they went home,” he added. “The players themselves were absolutely overwrought because when you are division of a national team, really strong ties and bonds are created.”

Qualification Perilous

Spalleti is hoping his players can buoy position these events slow them during what will be a toughened gritty this night at London’s Wembley stadium. Lose and qualification for the Euros hangs inwards the balance.

It would mean that the Azzurri would have got to flap Ukraine on the final matchday, a spirited that will follow played inward Deutschland because of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Despite winning Euro 2020 after thrashing England on penalties inward the final, Italia get failed to qualify for the past tense ii World Cups. Missing out on a major rivalry would cumulation further trauma on this squad and its intensely passionate supporters.

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