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<\/p>\nJUVENTUS midfielder Nicolo Fagioli has told the Italian Football Federation that he was threatened by the owners of illegal betting platforms.<\/p>\n
Fagioli, 22, was handed a seven-month ban by the FIGC prosecutor earlier this week after being found guilty of betting on illegal platforms.<\/p>\n
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The Italy international reported himself to the prosecutor after being put under investigation earlier this year.<\/p>\n
He recently admitted that he faced serious threats from the owners of some betting platforms, meaning he had to borrow money from some team-mates in order to pay off debts.<\/p>\n
Fagioli also opened up about how the pressure got to him during a Juventus match in April.<\/p>\n
As stated in the documents obtained by Tuttosport and La Gazzetta dello Sport, the midfielder said: "At night, I had stopped sleeping. The more time passed, the more debts haunted me.<\/p>\n
"My debts kept increasing and I was gambling just to try to make up.<\/p>\n "They told me \u2018We\u2019ll break your legs.\u2019 I had so much debt that even if I had won, I would get nothing out of it."<\/p>\n Fagioli insisted that he never gambled on either of the two clubs he has played for – Cremonese and Juventus.<\/p>\n He added: "Juventus have been warning us since the youth sector that we footballers should have not placed any bets, whether using legal or illegal platforms.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n "I gambled on national and international matches but never on Cremonese or Juventus.<\/p>\n "I used to gamble on games that were underway. I gambled on Milan\u2019s win that time but lost because Torino won 2-1.<\/p>\n "I had accumulated a debt of \u20ac250,000 in September 2022 and pressure from managers of illegal platforms started.<\/p>\n "Sometimes, I would cover part of the debt by going to Milan and buying luxury watches. I paid with a bank transfer.<\/p>\n "Sometimes I delivered the watches myself, other times, the platforms\u2019 owners picked them up at the jewellery shop.<\/p>\n "After September 2022, I started gambling compulsively in front of the TV on any sporting event I watched, including football, Serie B and Lega Pro. I can\u2019t even remember how many events I placed bets on.<\/p>\n "I\u2019ve never spoken about gambling with directors, footballers or people under contract at Juventus because I trusted nobody.<\/p>\n "I borrowed money from some of my teammates, saying I wanted to buy a watch for my mum. [Federico] Gatti gave me \u20ac40,000 and I still have to return it. [Radu] Dragusin also gave me money and some of my friends in Piacenza too. Still \u20ac40,000, through bank transfers.<\/p>\n "I want to clarify that my friends and teammates did not know the reason why I borrowed the money."<\/p>\n The Italian then revealed that he reached a breaking point during a Serie A match between Sassuolo and Juventus in April, when he broke down in tears on the bench after being substituted.<\/p>\n Fagioli said: "The worst moment was between April and March 2023, when I was so scared that I made a mistake during\u00a0Sassuolo-Juventus and I was subbed off.<\/p>\n "I started crying when I sat on the bench, thinking about my debts and betting problems."<\/p>\n Fagioli's Italy team-mates Sandro Tonali and\u00a0Nicolo Zaniolo could also face lengthy bans\u00a0if found guilty of breaching betting regulations.<\/p>\n The pair were questioned by police in Italy while with the national team last week.<\/p>\n Zaniolo, 24, is alleged to have placed bets on matches involving his former club Roma, where he played under\u00a0Jose Mourinho\u00a0before joining Galatasaray in February.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/2fb495a7-2842-47ae-ad1f-b673db240514.jpg\")
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