Javier Zanetti testifies in Ultras Investigation

Inter Milan Vice-President Javier Zanetti spent an hour and a half testifying before prosecutors in Milan as part of the ongoing investigation into the relationship between the club and its ultras group, Curva Nord. Zanetti, like coach Simone Inzaghi before him, was questioned about ticket allocations for the 2023 Champions League final in Istanbul.

Calciomercato report how the former Inter captain addressed an intercepted phone call involving Inzaghi and Curva Nord leader Marco Ferdico. Zanetti’s name also came up in a May 26, 2023 conversation between Ferdico and Marco Materazzi, where Ferdico claimed to have learned from Zanetti about police monitoring the curva following Vittorio Boiocchi’s murder in October 2022.

During his testimony, Zanetti acknowledged knowing many Curva Nord leaders due to his long association with Inter. He specifically mentioned Antonio Bellocco, a ‘ndrangheta member who sought to climb the ranks of organized support. Bellocco was later killed in Cernusco sul Naviglio by Andrea Beretta, a prominent figure in the ultras scene.

Zanetti recounted meeting Bellocco once, introduced by Andrea as “a new guy from the curva” and an enthusiastic fan who was excited to meet “the Treble captain.” Regarding his relationships with Curva Nord leaders, Zanetti stated, “These are people I’ve known for 30 years at Inter, as a player and executive, and I’ve never seen them do anything harmful to the club. I’m one of those they’ve approached.”

The Inter Vice-President emphasized that he only received requests, never threats, from the ultras. Importantly, he denied warning the suspects about the ongoing investigation by the prosecutor’s office.

A day earlier, Simone Inzaghi had also been questioned about his phone calls with Marco Ferdico regarding match tickets. The coach maintained that he never felt threatened or bothered by these conversations, describing them as simple requests rather than pressure tactics.