Nicolò Fagioli, the Juventus midfielder, is the central figure in the documentary “Fragile,” available on Prime Video and produced by Juventus Creator Lab. The film delves into Fagioli’s struggles with gambling addiction, which led to his suspension for betting activities. Here are some excerpts from the documentary as reported by IlBianconero.com.
Reflecting on his career, Fagioli shared, “Playing in front of 40,000 people is an incredibly powerful emotion because it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a child.”
Discussing his impulsive nature, he admitted, “I’ve always wanted everything immediately. For example, in Dubai, I bought a phone case made of real diamonds for 6,000 euros and never even used it.”
Fagioli recounted his first encounter with gambling: “I placed my first bet with friends at sixteen. It was a stupid way to pass the time. Then, gradually over the years, it got worse. It became much more frequent. I’d wake up not wanting to go for a walk but to place a bet. I started making higher stakes while playing for the Under 23 team. I wasn’t betting to win money but for the adrenaline it gave me; that was the main problem.”
He acknowledged the onset of his addiction during his time at Cremonese when he contracted COVID-19: “During that period, I gambled a lot, and it became automatic. I began to realize I might have a problem. I went to Serd to talk to someone about gambling addiction. I went two or three times but didn’t feel like I needed specialized help; it didn’t seem useful to me.”
Fagioli recognized the severity of his situation upon returning to Juventus in September 2022/2023: “I started understanding there might be something serious when I returned to Juventus. The amounts kept getting bigger, as did the problems. I didn’t want to admit it to myself; I told myself nothing would happen. Sometimes I’d win but just pay back what I’d lost before. At my worst, I’d spend 10-12 hours on my phone; it seemed like two hours, like a bubble where I noticed nothing. I’d answer questions but wouldn’t remember what I’d been asked an hour later.”
He revealed the extent of his gambling: “The biggest bet was 10,000 euros, but it wasn’t about the amount; it was about the frequency. I’m not sure exactly how much I spent, but it was hundreds of thousands of euros. If I’d continued, it would have been everything I earned; I couldn’t go on anymore. Sometimes I’d stay up all night gambling.”
Fagioli also spoke about how gambling affected his relationships: “I wasn’t thinking about that, but I was more nervous with Giulia, my parents, everyone.”
He mentioned receiving threats before a match against Sevilla: “Before the Sevilla game, someone wrote that they would break my legs.”
Recalling a particularly emotional moment against Sassuolo, he said: “Tears against Sassuolo? At that moment, I’d lost a lot of money and didn’t know how to get it back or what to do. Losing because of my mistake hurt me deeply. I saw everything black and started crying.”
A dramatic encounter with law enforcement highlighted his struggles: “One morning, I was at home with Giulia when the doorbell rang. I asked who it was and saw plainclothes police officers outside who said they needed to talk. I called my mom home.”
Despite knowing he had an addiction, Fagioli struggled with denial: “I knew I had an illness but didn’t want to admit it to myself because I wanted to hide it from people.”
