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The two players were forced to leave international duty early after they were questioned by police in relation to betting offences
Two Italian players have been withdrawn from the Azzurri squad for the international break fixtures against Malta and England in the Euro 2024 qualifiers after they were questioned due to links with illegal gambling.
Italian players in hot water over gambling allegations
The two players have been identified as Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo and Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali.
The pair were questioned by Italian authorities amidst an ongoing investigation into alleged betting irregularities that were exposed by Italian gossip columnist Fabrizio Coroona.
The journalist alleges serious foul play on the part of both players, even suggesting that Zaniolo had bet on matches featuring his former side, AS Roma, while he was still a player there.
Police question Premier League stars
The accusations led to investigations into both players by Italian police who were at the Azzurri camp ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta to question Zaniolo and Tonali.
The players were allowed to leave the camp after the questioning, as the FIGC noted that it would be better to give them time off to attend to the cases against them.
The Premier League has suffered problems with gambling in recent months with Brentford star Ivan Toney receiving a lengthy ban after being found guilty of gambling violations, while Nottingham Forest defender Harry Tofolo received a suspended sentence for a similar offence.
In addition to this, West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquet is also under investigation for alleged betting offences, and will now be joined by Zaniolo and Tonali, who just joined the league this summer.
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