Amid national disappointment, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis sparked a flurry of accusations with a statement to American CBS about corruption within the national team. He claims that managers use bribes to secure spots for their clients in the Azzurri jersey. "In Italy, players are called up to the national team with money under the table from managers. It's unprofessional, but it happens," stated De Laurentiis. The head of Napoli emphasizes that the national team is used as a tool to artificially inflate players' market value for personal profit. Although specific names and evidence have not yet been presented, these claims have caused a real earthquake in the local sports community. While some fans believe in the truth of these allegations, others call for restraint until the conclusion of a potential investigation. Eventual confirmation of these malpractices could bring catastrophic legal and sporting consequences for the Italian federation. A tense silence currently reigns in the football governing body, while the defeat to the Dragons remains just the trigger for exposing much deeper problems.