Inter manager Simone Inzaghi, midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu to serve one-game suspension after ultras scandal

Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu and Inter manager Simone Inzaghi will serve one-match suspension in the current 2024-25 Serie A season after their names emerged in the ultras investigation that led to the arrest of 19 Inter and AC Milan supporters on September 30. 

Both player and manager emerged in the investigation, having contacts with some of the ultras who were investigated for the control of the money flow around the stadium’s business. Club members were fined by the sports prosecutor for “the prohibition of having relationships with members of groups or supporter groups that are not part of associations affiliated with the clubs, for having had, at least starting from the 2022-23 sports season, relationships with members of the ultra group called ‘Curva Nord.'” 

Former AC Milan captain Davide Calabria is the only one among those involved in the investigation who has currently chosen not to agree to a plea deal. Inter and AC Milan were also fined by the sports prosecutor as the Nerazzurri will have to pay a €70,000 fine and the Rossoneri a €30,000 fine. 

Inter and AC Milan ultra groups investigation explained: 19 arrested, mafia involvement, what’s next

Francesco Porzio

On top of that, the investigation showed how the Italian mafia, also known as ‘Ndrangheta, have infiltrated both hierarchies of Inter and AC Milan’s ultras groups, which occasionally worked as a sole group despite the rivalry of the teams. When Inter and AC Milan faced each other in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League semifinals, wiretaps from the investigation showed that the two ultras groups agreed on sharing the revenues of the final that was played in Istanbul, regardless of who was going to play that iconic game. 

While the investigation went on and the trial started in March, the Italian Sport Justice looked into the case and decided to punish some of the names that emerged in the investigation, even if it ended up only to be a one-match suspension. The Turkish midfielder admitted he had meetings with some of the Inter ultras, while the manager emerged in the wiretaps as he was asked by former Inter’s ultra Marco Ferdico before the 2023 Champions League final to lobby the club directors for more tickets to the fan group. I

Inter ended up giving those extra tickets to the fans ahead of the final, but it also emerged Inter ultras were making a big profit out of those tickets for the most important game of the season, making the Inter supporters pay a much bigger fee.

While both clubs were fined, here’s what else the sports prosecutor decided on Thursday: 

• Hakan Calhanoglu, Inter player: one-game suspension and €30,000 fine
• Simone Inzaghi, Inter manager: one-game suspension and €15,000 fine
• Javier Zanetti, Inter vice president: €14,500 fine
• Claudio Sala, Inter head of security: 30-day suspension and €14,500 fine
• Massimiliano Silva, Inter supporters liaison office: 30-day suspension and €14,500 fine
• Fabio Pansa, AC Milan supporters liaison office: 30-day suspension and €14,500 fine