Reina, Cannavaro face Italian FA grilling over alleged mafia links

AFP  |  Milan 

Footballers Pepe Reina, and have been ordered to appear before a (FIGC) panel over their alleged association with people linked to the mafia, according to reports in today.

Both Cannavaro and Aronica played for Napoli for a few years, while former Reina will leave Napoli this summer to move to AC Milan.

The three players will be questioned over allegedly "maintaining inappropriate relations" with the Esposito brothers Gabriele, and Giuseppe, who are alleged to be leading figures in Naples' Camorra mafia.

Gazzetta Dello Sport reported that Reina, 35, held a farewell party in a popular nightclub owned by one of the Esposito brothers.

Reina and Cannavaro allegedly obtained free tickets for Napoli games for two of the brothers, with reports of an "exchange of favours". FIGC prosecutors will also question representatives of three clubs, Napoli, Sassuolo and Palermo.

Three Napoli employees including and former of ticketing must also appear before the FIGC hearing.

Cannavaro, 36, retired last December and joined his brother, winner Fabio Cannavaro, on the coaching staff at club Guangzhou

Reina -- who was on Spain's 2010 World Cup-winning team and is a two-time European champion from 2008 and 2012 -- first joined Napoli in 2013 on loan from

He moved to Munich the following year before returning to in 2015. During his club career he won the Super Cup, and League Cup with Liverpool, a title with and the Italian Cup in 2014.

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First Published: Tue, May 22 2018. 15:55 IST