Italian international footballer Nicolo Zaniolo fined 15,000 euros for assaulting two young players

Italian international Nicolo Zaniolo has been fined €15,000 for assaulting two players from AS Roma's reserve team at the end of May, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday, July 14, 2025.

The incidents took place on the sidelines of the semi-final of the Primavera 1 Championship, the reserve team's match, at Viola Park in Florence on May 26.

"Slaps on the neck"

Nicolo Zaniolo, on loan to Fiorentina from Galatasaray, "entered the Roma dressing room at the end of the match, hit Mattia Almaviva with slaps to the neck and then pushed Marco Litti, causing both physical injuries with a ten-day ITT ," the FIGC explained in its statement.

Nicolo Zanioli then defended himself by explaining that he had "not committed any aggressive act" and that he had been the target of "unjustified insults and provocations ."

Since joining Galatasaray from AS Roma, his club between 2018 and 2023, Zaniolo, 26, has played for three clubs: Aston Villa (2023-24), Atalanta Bergamo (August 2024-February 2025) and Fiorentina (February-June 2025). His 19th and final appearance for the Italian national team was in March 2024.

His name was also cited in the notorious case of betting on illegal platforms which earned Italian internationals Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Fagioli lengthy suspensions.