In the developing betting scandal involving Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo, Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali and Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli, it’s likely we’ll hear plenty of opinions and not all of them savoury.
The scandal and the consequences of it is dominating the Italian media at present, with Fagioli’s seven-month suspension the beginning of what comes next.
Step up media personality Fabrizio Corona, an Italian businessman, writer and actor who has thrown himself into the middle of the matter today via Il Messaggero.
The former ‘paparazzi king’ had promised to reveal all the details he had on the case during his appearance on Nunzia De Giralamo’s Avanti Popoli on Rai 3.
However, the show come and went and he ‘did not mention any new names’ other than the ones already know, i.e., Aston Villa’s Zaniolo alongside Tonali and Fagioli.
That, according to him, was not part of the plan, with him now He’s claiming that he was ‘censored’ from saying more by those in charge.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able, as they assured me this morning, to say what I wanted, to show on TV the great work that I’ve been carrying out for 6 days, without sleeping, with my friend Moreno. At a certain point the presenter launched an audio which was then not even broadcast. Do you realise?
“There was the voice of Zaniolo and 3 Serie A players who were talking about betting and a lot of money. They fooled you and they fooled me. Today you have to make TV yourself.
“Now I think what to do and where to show all the news that I found with immense sacrifice and risking without any fear because I am a free man and I’m not afraid of anything.”
The suggestion of audio is a pretty big claim from Corona, particularly as Zaniolo continues to insist he never bet on football and simply just bet on poker and blackjack.
That’s a line he’s insisted on despite the other parties admitting to bets on games, increasing the pressure on the Aston Villa man in the process. That’s something he’s accustomed to, having dealt with press pressure for years in Italy, but it’s building again, and Corona appears determined to add to it.
He’s a less than savory character, really, something Il Messagero hint at by labelling him a former paparazzi king, so it would be wise to take his comments with a big pinch of salt and skepticism.
Still, it’s a situation to keep an eye on as the betting scandal develops and Zaniolo continues to be investigated, even if we are uncomfortable with Corona’s obvious efforts to use the Aston Villa man’s problems to improve his own image.
