Sandro Tonali will be banned for a long time. © ANSA / ADAM VAUGHAN

Therapy and suspension: The Tonali verdict is here

From beacon of hope to bogeyman: This is how Sandro Tonali's past months can be summed up. Now his verdict has been announced.

26 October 2023

From: apa/dpa

Newcastle United's Italian international Sandro Tonali has been banned for ten months for his involvement in Italian football's latest betting scandal. In addition, according to an agreement between the Italian Federation's Sports Court (FIGC) and his lawyers, he must undergo therapy over a period of eight months, as FIGC President Gabriele Gravina announced on Thursday in Rome.

The actual ban is 18 months, of which Tonali receives eight months on probation. For the midfielder, the 2023/24 season has ended prematurely. He will also miss the European Championships in Germany in the summer if Italy qualifies. The agreement still needs to be officially approved by Italy's highest sports court, the National Olympic Committee.

Sandro Tonali will miss the entire season including the European Championships in the summer. © APA/afp / OLI SCARFF

Tonali admitted to betting on his own team's games during his time at AC Milan. He is said to have done this via illegal online platforms.

From bearer of hope to bogeyman

The 23-year-old is considered a great bearer of hope in Italy. It was only in the summer that he moved from Milan to Newcastle for a national record sum of around 70 million euros. On Wednesday he came on as a substitute in the second half of the Champions League home game against Borussia Dortmund (0-1).

Last week it became known that the public prosecutor's office and the Italian Football Association were investigating allegations of illegal betting against Tonali and his compatriot Nicolò Zaniolo from Aston Villa. The duo had recently been interviewed at the national team's training camp and then returned to England early.