Arrested, released, and detained again: A turbulent night for the Australian national team star
The 22-year-old midfielder was stopped twice in one night in Sydney for significant speeding. While his alcohol test was negative, a subsequent roadside drug test returned a positive result for cocaine.
Cristian Volpato, a player for Sassuolo and the Australian national team, has run into trouble with the law after reportedly testing positive for cocaine following two separate police stops on the same night in Sydney.
According to reports, the 22-year-old Volpato was first pulled over on Thursday evening for driving his BMW at approximately 94 km/h in a 60 km/h zone. An alcohol breath test conducted during that stop returned a negative result, and he was allowed to proceed.
However, less than two hours later, the midfielder was stopped again, this time after being caught driving at 109 km/h in the same area. During a roadside check, he tested positive for cocaine.
New South Wales Police confirmed that Volpato was issued a speeding fine, and his international driver's license was suspended for six months. Furthermore, an additional saliva sample was collected to be sent to a laboratory for verification of the initial result. The player's representatives have yet to issue a comment on the incident.
Volpato, who grew up in Italy and previously played for Roma, chose earlier this year to represent the Australian national team over Italy. Since then, he has made three appearances for the national team at the 2026 World Cup.
