The trials are over alleged violence, intimidation and other criminal activities.
Two trials will start shortly in relation to a big investigation into the clubs’ ultras by State and finance police that led to 19 arrests on September 30.
One is an immediate trial without any preliminary hearings while the other is a fast-track trial.
Three of the defendants will go on trial on February 20 while 16 others will go before a preliminary hearings judge (GUP) on March 4.
The suspects include Inter ultra chiefs Marco Ferdico and Andrea Beretta and top Milan ultra Luca Lucci.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was quizzed in October by investigators in relation to the case.
His name was among those of officials and players listed in the case documents over alleged “pressure” they came under and links with the ultras.
The probe led prosecutors to open a “prevention procedure” against the two Milanese clubs, requiring them to prove that they have cut ties with the ‘ultra’ world.
In particular, they need to prove the ultras are no longer involved in the management of ticket sales.
According to court papers, the clubs, in particular Inter, granted illicit concessions in economic activities to these groups, including ticket sales.
“[They were allegedly] providing tickets to people who belong to criminal organisations who then resold them at a huge price markup,” said the papers.
This also regarded people who were under investigation or had been convicted for “Mafia-Style criminal association who transferred the money to the Mafia family they belonged to,” the papers continued.
Investigators referred to the stable relationship between the We Are Milano group headed by Beretta and the club.
They also referenced the regular access to the stadium of clan members who did not have a ticket after “strong acts of intimidation” against stewards.
“[It was] a situation that had been going on for years,” the papers claimed.
The measure also cited a “meeting” between some ultra leaders like Ferdico with former Inter defender Milan Skriniar and “contacts with coach” Inzaghi.
The papers allege Ferdico “explicitly asked Inzaghi to intervene with the club, or directly with [Inter president Giuseppe] Marotta to obtain an additional 200 tickets” for the 2023 Champions League final in Istanbul.
This allegation comes according to wiretapped conversations from May 2023 that were included in the arrest warrants.
Ferdico was allegedly promised by Inzaghi that he would talk to the club’s heads, including Marotta, according to investigators.
The probe allegedly highlighted that Inter was in a “situation of subjugation towards members of the Curva Nord [ultras]”.
“[The club was seemingly] granting them favours, even though it was forced to do so.”
ANSA
