Two Italian national team players, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo, have been excluded from the squad in preparation for their critical Euro 2024 qualifier against England next Tuesday. The decision to remove them from the squad for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta on Saturday and the subsequent match against England at Wembley follows their recent questioning by the police regarding alleged violations related to sports betting.
Both players made high-profile moves to the Premier League during the summer transfer window. Tonali was signed by Newcastle United in a substantial £55 million transfer deal from AC Milan, while Zaniolo joined Aston Villa on a loan arrangement from Galatasaray.
Nonetheless, they are facing accusations of betting on football events during their time in Italy. If found guilty, they could potentially face bans lasting at least three years.
Following their interviews with the police on Thursday, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed, in a statement, that Tonali and Zaniolo have been released from the national team squad ahead of the matches against Malta and England. The FIGC’s statement expressed concern about the players’ readiness to participate in the upcoming matches, and as a protective measure, the federation has allowed them to return to their respective club teams.