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 in Italy’s 2-1 win over Ukraine
- Zaniolo used to date influencer Chiara Nasti, who is now married to Zaccagni
- Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off!
Italy got their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign back on track on Tuesday night but celebrations between Nicolo Zaniolo and Mattia Zaccagni may have been slightly awkward.
The duo were selected in Italy’s starting XI for the 2-1 win over Ukraine at the San Siro, with Aston Villa forward Zaniolo one of several changes from the side that drew 1-1 with North Macedonia on Saturday.
Zaccagni, meanwhile, retained his spot as he won his third international cap for Italy.
The relationship between the pair is somewhat complicated by the fact Zaccagni’s wife, influencer Chiara Nasti, used to date former Roma star Zaniolo.
After the pair split up in April of 2021, Nasti began dating Lazio winger Zaccagni. The pair welcomed their son Thiago in November last year and were married two months ago.
Nicolo Zaniolo (third left, back row) and Mattia Zaccagni (far right, front row) lined up for Italy against Ukraine at the San Siro on Tuesday night
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The love triangle hit the headlines in May of last year, after Roma fans – rival supporters to Zaccagni’s Lazio – serenaded Zaniolo with a chant claiming ‘Zaccagni’s son is Zaniolo’s’ during the parade following the Giallorossi’s Europa Conference League triumph.
The Italy international scored the winner in the final against Feyenoord as Roma claimed their first European trophy in six decades.
Thousands of Giallorossi fans lined up the streets of Rome to welcome the team home and Zaniolo clearly seemed to enjoy the chant, with footage showing him laughing along with the derogatory lyrics.
Nasti, unsurprisingly, did not appreciate the chants and was forced to turn off the comments on her social media profile.
The former Roma forward does have a child with ex-girlfriend Sara Scaperotta, but they broke up when she was pregnant in 2021.
Just days later, Zaniolo and Zaccagni were called up to the Italy squad by then-manager Roberto Mancini for a clash against Argentina.
Zaniolo’s withdrawal led to reports of tension between him and Zaccagni, before the then-Roma forward revealed he had been forced to pull out of the squad because of an ankle knock.
Zaniolo left Rome for Istanbul as he signed for Galatasaray in a £13million deal in February, before joining Aston Villa on loan for the season last month.
Zaccagni married Zaniolo’s ex-girlfriend, influencer Chiara Nasti, earlier this summer
Nasti and Zaccagni welcomed their first born Thiago in November last year
Nasti and Zaniolo dated for a while before they split up in April of 2021
The Italian has played just 42 minutes of Premier League football in two appearances for Unai Emery’s side this term.
Davide Frattesi scored twice in 17 first half minutes as Italy beat Ukraine 2-1 to climb above them on goal difference in 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 and will host Malta on October 14, before facing Gareth Southgate’s men at Wembley three days later.
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