Benchwarmer sobbed 'because of 4.3 billion in gambling debts', big club captain confesses to shock...even borrowed money from teammate
Italian midfielder Niccolo Pazzioli (22-Juventus) has made a shocking confession.
"He cried on the bench because of his gambling addiction, large debts, and the money he borrowed from his Juventus teammates," Football Italia reported on Nov. 19 (KST).
Pazzioli was suspended for 12 months and fined €12.5 million by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on April 18. Five months of the 12-month ban will be suspended, making the actual suspension about seven months.
The reason is shocking. Fazioli recently admitted that he had been betting illegally. He's not the only one, Italian aces Sandro Tonali (Newcastle) and Niccolo Zaniolo (Aston Villa) have also been investigated for illegal betting.
The illegal betting pushed Fazioli over the edge, and while the suspension ended his career, it was the massive gambling debt that weighed on his shoulders. According to British Athletic, Fazioli's debt was reportedly as high as €3 million.
The pressure was too much for him to handle. Pazzioli even burst into tears during the game. According to reports, Pazzioli failed to clear the ball properly while defending a corner kick against Sassuolo in April, which led to a goal. Pazzioli was subbed out and burst into tears on the bench, clutching his face. At the time, it was widely believed that the tears were due to self-blame for his mistake, but it turned out to be due to gambling debts. 먹튀검증
"I sat on the bench and I cried because I remembered all my debts and gambling problems," Fazioli says, "I couldn't sleep at night. "I couldn't sleep at night. "I couldn't sleep at night," he recalls, "and as time went on, the debts kept growing, and I gambled again to pay them off.
The situation seems to have been quite serious. Fazioli even received threats to pay off his debts. "Fazioli was threatened by others (betting managers) to 'break his legs,' and he placed more bets to pay off his debts," The Athletic explained.
Pazzioli even borrowed money from his teammates and used it to pay off his debts. Pazzioli borrowed 40,000 euros ($58 million) from Juventus defender Federico Gatti, lying that he wanted to buy his mother a watch. He also extended a hand to "former teammate" Radu Dragusin (now at Genoa) and others. Fazioli has yet to repay the money. However, he has promised to pay it back in the future.
It's unfortunate news. Pazzioli was a highly touted prospect in Italy and beyond. Even Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri praised him, saying he was "happy to see him play". He started six league games this season and was well on his way to establishing himself as a starter. However, a gambling addiction derailed his career.