Nicolo Fagioli will hope to emulate one of Italy’s greatest ever players after his unlikely Euro 2024 call-up… repaying Lucas Spalletti is only the start of his redemption arc following seven months out for betting breaches

From utter desperation to potential stardom in just a few months: Nicolo Fagioli is the left fielder at the 2024 European Championship and now wants to emulate one of Italy’s greatest players.

The midfielder was recently handed a seven-month ban for breaching betting rules and with so little action to his name, his chances of making the tournament looked slim.

Yet there is a precedent here. In 1982, then-Italian coach Enzo Bearzot called up Juventus striker Paolo Rossi for the World Cup, even though he had only just completed a two-year ban for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal. Italy won the tournament and Rossi – who always maintained his innocence – scored six goals.

Although Fagioli is not at Rossi’s level, he has a devoted admirer in Italian coach Luciano Spalletti, who never forgot a player long considered one of his country’s best.

Key members of Spalletti’s staff were always surprised that Fagioli was used more as a number 6 than a number 8 by Juventus. Spalletti believes he can operate in both roles which is why he is so valuable, especially with Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella struggling with a hamstring injury. that threatens to exclude him from the opening match against Albania on Saturday.

Italian manager Lucas Spalletti selected the midfielder despite barely playing this season

Spalletti certainly did his best for Fagioli. Last October he was banned for 12 months, with five suspended, for allegedly placing bets on illegal websites. He was also fined around £11,000. Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali was also suspended last October and will not return to competitive action until August. Fagioli’s re-emergence should give the 24-year-old hope that he can do the same.

“I felt reborn the day I was suspended, much more than when I was called up again for Italy,” Fagioli said recently. ‘I understood my mistakes and started living a normal life again, dedicating myself completely to my work.

‘In these seven months all I wanted to do was return before the end of the season. When people talked to me about Euro 2024, I didn’t believe in it. Now I feel very good mentally and I try to enjoy every moment.’

This prospect seemed impossible for Fagioli as he sat on the bench in tears after being substituted during Juventus’ match against Sassuolo in April 2023.

Fagioli had made a mistake shortly before being taken away and observers assumed this was the reason for his despair. The reality was much more worrying.

Paolo Rossi had a brilliant World Cup in 1982 after returning from a two-year match-fixing ban

“When I burst into tears, it was not only because I had put my team in a difficult position,” Fagioli told La Gazzetta dello Sport last month. ‘At that moment it was like a black cloud came over me. Everything seemed negative and dark.

‘The problem is that I couldn’t control myself anymore. Gambling had consumed my life, it had become a nagging pain – a nightmare. I know I’m a lucky guy, that many of my peers are in a more dramatic state than I am. I have no right to sympathy.

‘But I don’t want to be a hypocrite either. I was swallowed up by an emptiness that doesn’t care who you are. No exceptions are made for social class and you are not spared because you are talented. I felt like I was suffocating, but I couldn’t find the way out.’

Spalletti’s lieutenants kept in touch with Fagioli during his suspension and the night before the Coppa Italia final last month, Spalletti stopped Fagioli at the Juventus team hotel as he was on his way to the lift. Although he offered no guarantees, Spalletti left Fagioli with the clear impression that he was thinking about him.

Although Italy’s pre-tournament friendlies were unspectacular – a goalless draw against Turkey followed by a 1-0 win over Bosnia – Fagioli has made good use of the time. His quiet performances in the center make him a contender for a starting spot this weekend, alongside Jorginho or, if Barella recovers, in his place.

Fagioli was suspended for seven months after allegedly placing bets on illegal websites

It is unclear how the Fagioli story will end. As much as Spalletti likes him, the couple only sees each other a handful of times a year. What will Juventus’ new coach Thiago Motta think of him? Coaches and teammates believe that if Fagioli fulfills his potential, he can become one of the best midfielders of his generation.

‘Yet, after such a difficult period in his life, it won’t be easy to simply flip a switch and become a regular at his club. Euro 2024 isn’t the end of Fagioli’s redemption journey, but it is a pretty good starting point.