Ex-Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo breaks silence after being accused by his former club of being 'visibly intoxicated', urinating on their property and hospitalising two youth players
Nicolo Zaniolo has insisted he has not committed 'any violent acts' but admitted he did not act in 'the most appropriate way' after being accused of hospitalising two youth players in a dressing room brawl.
Roma initially brought the alleged incident to light shortly after their Primavera championship semi-final against Fiorentina - the club that Zaniolo spent last season on loan at from Turkish side Galatasaray.
After Fiorentina claimed a 2-1 victory to book their place in the final of the youth team competition, Zaniolo is said to have gone to Roma's locker room.
The Italian, who made 128 appearances for Roma between 2018 and 2023, took to Instagram to address the matter, protest his innocence, while apologising for failing to conduct himself in a manner befitting someone of his level of seniority.
'Obviously I cannot go into the merits of the explanations I have provided regarding the dynamics of the events, which I believe to be conclusive,' he wrote.
'I reiterate that I have not committed any aggressive or violent acts against anyone, but that I was the target of unjustified insults and provocations by some AS Roma members; nevertheless, I recognize that I did not react in the most appropriate way given my role and experience.
'I have always believed in the values of sport and in the importance of providing young people with positive role models: I am sorry that I have failed in this responsibility and I promise to treasure this unpleasant experience for the future.'
In a statement last month, alleged that Zaniolo 'engaged in provocative behaviour' and physically struck two of their players.
They later doubled down on the claim and provided details on the alleged altercation, with the club accusing Zaniolo of being 'visibly intoxicated' and urinating on their property.
Roma's statement read: 'On the evening of May 26, following the Primavera semi-final match Fiorentina vs AS Roma at Viola Park, Nicolo Zaniolo (Fiorentina first team) unlawfully entered the Roma dressing room area accompanied by an associate, despite lacking accreditation.
Witnesses report Zaniolo appeared visibly intoxicated. He urinated in Roma facilities, provoked players, and, without verbal exchange, physically struck Mattia Almaviva and violently pushed Marco Litti against a bench.
'Litti had recently undergone shoulder surgery. Both players required hospitalization: Almaviva received a 10-day recovery prognosis, Litti 21 days.
'AS Roma stands firmly by its youth players and is appalled by the violent and unjustifiable behavior witnessed at Viola Park.
'We trust that the institutions will act decisively to ensure accountability and protect the values of Italian football.'
The FIGC - Italy's football federation - launched an investigation, which could see Zaniolo handed a lengthy ban if found guilty of any wrongdoing.
Zaniolo, who spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Aston Villa, denied the allegations made against him after Roma's statement.
He has now revealed that he has given evidence to federal prosecutors in the case.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bayern's Sane set to complete Galatasaray move
Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane is set to complete a free transfer to Turkish club Galatasaray. The 29-year-old arrived in Istanbul on Thursday ahead of signing a contract with the Super Lig Turkish club posted photos on their social media of Sane wearing a Galatasaray scarf on his arrival at Ataturk Airport, saying they have "started transfer talks" with the one million supporters tuned in to a live broadcast on Galatasaray's YouTube channel on Tuesday of a flight-tracker showing Sane's plane arriving in the city. Sane, who joined Bayern Munich on a five-year deal from Manchester City in 2020, is out of contract at the Allianz Arena at the end of June. The Bundesliga champions were keen on keeping the winger but Sane rejected the offer of a contract had included Sane in their 29-man squad for the Club World Cup, which begins on 15 he is set to complete a deal with Galatasaray in the coming days, with the Athletic, external reporting he has verbally agreed a three-year deal with the Turkish club. Sane, who won six major trophies in four years with City, claimed three consecutive Bundesliga titles during his first three seasons at Bayern before a fourth last term. He scored 61 goals in 220 matches for Bayern, including 13 in 45 matches last season.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Photos show kidnapping accuser leaving 'crypto bros' $75k-a-month NYC mansion freely, defense says
The Italian man allegedly kidnapped by two crypto investors was moving about Manhattan freely during the days he claimed he was tortured in captivity, lawyers for the suspects said in court Wednesday. Lawyers representing William Duplessie, 32, and John Woeltz, 37, both claimed that their alleged victim Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, 28, was seen in photos and videos 'laughing and smiling' on the days he was supposedly being violently extorted for the password to unlock the bitcoin in his crypto wallet worth millions of dollars. Prosecutors instead argued that Carturan was clearly in distress, as surveillance video showed him running barefoot out of the SoHo apartment he was allegedly locked away in for 17 days. Sam Talkin, Duplessie's lawyer, said photos and videos showed Carturan participating in group sex and smoking crack cocaine while 'laughing and smiling the whole time,' the Associated Press reported. 'The story that he is selling doesn´t make sense,' Talkin said in Manhattan Supreme Court as the defendants were formally arraigned. Both men were ordered to be held behind bars until their next court date on July 15. Woeltz´s lawyer, Wayne Gosnell, said that witnesses told him Carturan came and went as he pleased from the upscale town house where he says he was held - going to church, clubs and dinners. Duplessie and Woeltz both pleaded not guilty to first-degree kidnapping, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and assault. Assistant District Attorney Sarah Khan attempted to explain away the photographic and video evidence presented by the defense by saying someone who supports the defendants has been selectively leaking the content to mislead. Khan maintained that Carturan was constantly being watched, was not permitted to leave the house without being guarded and was subjected to violence. This allegedly included pistol whipping him, attempting to light him on fire and urinating on him, according to ABC6. The alleged kidnappers even had a chainsaw and threatened to cut the his legs off if he didn't reveal his passwords to his crypto accounts. When he emerged from the apartment barefoot and bloody, Carturan told police he had been severely beaten, drugged, shocked with electrical wires and threatened with death. Duplessie and Woeltz, who were arrested in May after Carturan got loose, also took photos of him in various poses and acts to create the impression that he was not being held against his will, Khan said. Khan also dropped the bombshell that discussions her office has had with other unnamed law enforcement agencies has indicated to her that Woeltz and Duplessie have tortured people before. She did not elaborate any further than that. Prosecutors say that on May 6, the two men lured Carturo to their townhouse in the posh neighborhood of SoHo by threatening to kill his family. This had been the third time Carturo met with Duplessie and Woeltz, according to prosecutors. Duplessie (left) and Woeltz (right) were known for their partying lifestyle and were regulars at New York City's exclusive night club The Box, reportedly spending over $100,000 in single nights there Duplessie (pictured) and Woeltz would reportedly host extravagant parties at the residence, offering guests drugs, alcohol and food from NYC hotspots including Blue Ribbon Sushi, Nobu, and Cipriani's After being tormented with electrical wires, being forced to smoke from a crack pipe and being dangled from a staircase five stories high, prosecutors say, that's when Carturo handed over his password. While the alleged kidnappers went to go retrieve his device, that's when Carturo said he was able to escape and call police. Khan said he hasn't received his money or electronic devices back. Woeltz started renting the multimillion-dollar townhouse on March 17, less than two months before the alleged crime. He pays his landlord between $75,000 and $95,000 per month to reside there, insiders told TMZ. He and Duplessie, 32, intent on climbing the elite Manhattan social ladder, would reportedly host extravagant parties at the residence, offering guests drugs, alcohol and food from NYC hotspots including Blue Ribbon Sushi, Nobu, and Cipriani's. Photographs captured from inside the stunning six-story home show how the pair littered the kitchen with cocaine, empty top shelf liquor bottles, including Don Julio and Greygoose, mixers, disposable vapes, and empty take-out containers. The pair also regularly frequented The Box, an exclusive erotic nightclub in Nolita, with insiders alleging they would spend upwards of $100,000 during a night out and often brought women back to the townhouse to continue partying. Police have locked down the property while they carry out their investigation. Officials will not release the home back to its owner until the probe is complete.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Barron Trump's best friend claims he got ICE to detain world's biggest TikTok star Khaby Lame
One of Barron Trump's supposed best friends has claimed he's responsible for getting the world's biggest TikTok star deported out of the United States. Bo Loudon, a Gen Z MAGA influencer who's previously been pictured with Barron and Donald Trump, said he reported Khaby Lame to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Loudon's first post on X came June 6 when he wrote that Lame is an 'illegal alien ' in all caps before proclaiming that he has 'been working with the patriots at President Trump's DHS' to deport the Senegal-born influencer. ICE already confirmed Lame was detained at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on June 6, the same day Loudon made his supposed involvement public. Lame, who has over 162 million TikTok followers, overstayed his visa after entering the country on April 30, according to an ICE spokesperson. He was granted 'voluntary departure', a bureaucratic euphemism for being kicked out. 'Serigne Khabane Lame, 25, a citizen of Italy, was detained… for immigration violations,' the spokesperson confirmed in a statement. 'Lame was granted voluntary departure… and has since departed the US.' Loudon, 18, claimed that Lame was detained at Henderson Detention Center, southeast of Las Vegas proper, though its unclear how long he may have been in custody before leaving. ICE has not confirmed whether Loudon was involved in reporting Lame to authorities. has approached immigration officials for comment but did not immediately respond. Loudon has continued to celebrate his alleged role in the TikToker's removal. He made a post Wednesday afternoon denouncing various media outlets' coverage of this incident, who reportedly called him a 'rat' and a 'rat extraordinaire'. 'Why? Because I helped President Trump's DHS deport TikTok's biggest star, Khaby Lame, for being in the U.S. illegally,' he added. 'I wish Khaby well and hope he returns as a LAW-ABIDING citizen.' Loudon also did an interview with Dylan Page, another popular TikToker who has been the 'News Daddy.' In that sit-down, Loudon said he became aware of Lame's immigration status because 'he had worked with a few of my friends and business partners' who said his visa expired years ago. 'I called some people in the administration and they said "we're gonna get on this right quick,"' Loudon said. Lame is best known known for his dead-pan skits reacting to other content on the social media site. Loudon admitted that he doesn't watch much of Lame's content but said Lame has posted videos expressing a 'hatred' for Trump. 'I'm sure he hates him much more now, which is why I posted "far-left" TikToker,' he said. Lame has not commented on his detainment or his removal from the US and has continued to post videos as if nothing happened. As recently as May 5, Lame attended the Met Gala in New York City, where he wore a three piece suit with well over a dozen timepieces attached to his vest. Loudon, from Palm Beach, Florida, is the son of Dr. Gina Loudon, a conservative pundit and former co-chair of Women for Trump in 2020. His father, John Loudon, was a Republican Missouri state senator until 2008. Loudon and Barron Trump were instrumental convincing Donald Trump that it was a strategic advantage to appear on various podcasts popular with young me, including Adin Ross' show.
