I'm looking at the cover right now, and it mentions that the movie was made with cooperation of:

1] Mario & Vittorio Cecchi Gori (Owners of an Italian Soccer Club "Fiorentina". The owner is suspected of drug dealing or something like that.

2] Silvio Berlusconi (I think he's the current PM of Italy. He's also the owner/GM of a World-class Italian Soccer Club "AC Milan". He has been thought to be in "real-close" ties with the organized crime.

3] Robert De Niro: I read somewhere that his (ex)wife is accusing him of drug dealing/addiction.

Does anyone see where I'm getting at?

Football?

Obviously links to crime (seems like drugs here).

How did the owners of Fiorentina and AC Milan have any co-operation with the film? I'm lost now.

I'm not sure how they co-operated, but I do know both have/own TV stations and movie companies. I assume they either supplied funds (for the rights to distribute/market the movie in Europe/elsewhere....which could also be used for laundering money if both were, as claimed, involved in drugs or organized crime) or provided expertise for the inexperienced Director of Deniro...