Morata was dragged into a gambling ring.

Morata and Fagioli were teammates at Juventus.

Nicolo Fagioli is embroiled in the biggest match-fixing scandal in Italian football in recent years. When authorities uncovered the affair, Fagioli was accused of exploiting the name of his former teammate Alvaro Morata in a business deal.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport , Fagioli told friends that he was in the Rolex watch business with Morata to earn money to pay off gambling debts. In a series of text messages collected by police investigators from Fagioli's phone, the midfielder persuaded friends and colleagues to lend him money, claiming it was for investing in the luxury watch business.

One of the notable messages records Fagioli saying: "Alvaro Morata got those Rolexes for me at a cheap price. He even resold them. I've been doing business with him for a year now."

Fagioli claimed this was a quick way to pay off gambling debts, and stressed to lenders that Morata was a trustworthy partner. However, Morata was not on the list of those under investigation, and there was no evidence to suggest he was actually involved.

"In desperation and threatened by gambling bosses, Fagioli had to borrow money from friends and teammates and used Morata's name to gain trust. However, there is no evidence that Fagioli actually collaborated with Morata, or if it was just a ploy to trick others into lending him money," La Gazzetta dello Sport reported.

Fagioli was once in debt of nearly 3 million euros, which led to him falling under the control of gambling "kingpins".

Another recording reveals Fagioli's fear of being discovered by Morata for exploiting his fame: "Please don't tell anyone, if Alvaro finds out I did this or tells others, he'll be angry and won't let me continue."

The above statement was sent by Fagioli to Gianmaria Zanandrea, a close friend with whom he played in the Juventus youth team, clearly showing his deliberate concealment and exploitation of Morata's name for personal gain.

Fagioli is currently under investigation by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, along with around 12 other players, including big names like Leandro Paredes, Angel Di Maria, and Junior Firpo. The whole affair stems from the exploitation of data on Fagioli and Sandro Tonali's phones.

According to Repubblica , Fagioli once owed nearly 3 million euros, leading him to fall under the control of gambling kingpins. He was forced to recruit other players into the network to pay off his debts and save his life.

Despite being mentioned by Fagioli numerous times in text messages and recordings, Morata has not yet been officially investigated. To date, the Spanish striker has remained silent.

Fagioli's scandal exposed the dark side behind the scenes, where young players are easily drawn into temptation, debt, and manipulation. "For Morata, although not under investigation, this incident has unintentionally embroiled him in controversy," Marca wrote.