Italy pick love rival footballers in the same team for the first time as Mattia Zaccagni plays alongside new wife’s ex Nicolo Zaniolo… after Aston Villa star laughed at a chant claiming their baby is his
- Nicolo Zaniolo and Mattia Zaccagni started Italy’s 2-1 win over Ukraine
- Zaniolo was in a relationship with influencer Chiara Nasti, who is now married to Zaccagni
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Italy got their Euro 2023 qualifying campaign back on track on Tuesday evening, but the celebrations between Nicolo Zaniolo and Mattia Zaccagni may have been a bit awkward.
The duo were selected in the Azzurri’s starting XI for the 2-1 win over Ukraine at San Siro, with the Aston Villa making a number of changes from the side that drew 1-1 with North Macedonia on Saturday.
Zaccagni, meanwhile, retained his place as he won his third international cap for Italy.
The relationship between the couple is somewhat complicated by the fact that Zaccagni’s wife, influencer Chiara Nasti, was in a relationship with former Roma star Zaniolo.
After the couple split in April 2021, Nasti started dating the Lazio winger. The couple welcomed their son Thiago in November last year and got married two months ago.
Nicolo Zaniolo (third left, back row) and Mattia Zaccagni (far right, front row) lined up for Italy against Ukraine at San Siro on Tuesday evening
The love triangle hit the headlines in May last year after Roma fans serenaded Zaniolo with a chant claiming that ‘Zaccagni’s son belongs to Zaniolo’ during the parade following the Giallorossi’s victory in the Europa Conference League.
The Italy international scored the winner in the final against Feyenoord as Roma claimed their first European trophy in sixty years.
Thousands of Giallorossi fans lined the streets of Rome to welcome the team home and Zaniolo clearly appeared to enjoy the chant, with footage showing him laughing along with the derogatory lyrics.
Just days later, Zaniolo and Zaccagni were called up to the Italian squad for a match against Argentina by then manager Roberto Mancini.
Zaniolo’s withdrawal led to reports of tensions between him and Zaccagni, before the then Roma striker revealed he had been forced to withdraw from the squad due to an ankle knock.
Zaniolo left Rome for Galatasaray in February on a £13m contract before joining Aston Villa on loan last month.
Zaccagni married Zaniolo’s ex-girlfriend, influencer Chiara Nasti, earlier this summer
Nasti and Zaccagni welcomed their firstborn Thiago in November last year
The Italian has played just 42 minutes of Premier League football in two games for Unai Emery’s side this season.
Davide Frattesi scored twice in 17 opening half minutes as Italy beat Ukraine 2-1 to move above them on goal difference into second place in Group C with seven points in four games.
The Azzurri are six points behind group leaders England but have a game in hand, hosting Malta on October 14 before facing Gareth Southgate’s men at Wembley three days later.