Two Italian players, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo, have been excluded from the national team’s lineup in preparation for their crucial Euro 2024 qualifying match against England next Tuesday.

Tonali and Zaniolo were dropped from the Italian squad for their Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta on Saturday and the subsequent match against England at Wembley. This decision followed their questioning by the police in connection with alleged betting infractions.

Both players recently completed transfers to Premier League clubs during the summer. Tonali signed a £55 million deal with Newcastle United from AC Milan, while Zaniolo joined Aston Villa on loan from Galatasaray.

Nonetheless, the pair is facing accusations of involvement in football betting during their time in Italy, which could result in a suspension of at least three years if they are found guilty.

Following their police interviews on Thursday, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) released a statement confirming Tonali and Zaniolo’s departure from the national team squad before the Malta and England matches. The FIGC’s statement explained that, regardless of the allegations, the players are currently not in a suitable condition to participate in the upcoming fixtures. As a result, the Federation has chosen to release them to return to their respective clubs to protect their interests.