According to reports ‘Newcastle Football Sensation Sandro Tonali Takes Initiative to Reduce Ban Duration’ Newcastle United’s prominent player, Sandro Tonali, is scheduled to meet with an Italian prosecutor next week regarding an ongoing investigation into allegations of breaching betting regulations.
The Italian national has returned to the club after being questioned by police at the Azzurri’s training base in Coverciano last Friday. Reports indicate that the case is progressing, with Tonali expressing a willingness to self-report in an effort to lessen the severity of his punishment.
The 23-year-old was sent back from their training camp by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Friday following leaks about Tonali’s alleged involvement in a betting scandal within Italian football. Last week, news surfaced that Tonali, alongside Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo, was named in the investigation initiated by Turin prosecutors.
Allegations suggested that Tonali and Zaniolo had placed bets against their own teams while competing in Serie A, an offense that could lead to a ban from football for over three years worldwide if found in violation of Italian regulations. Initially, Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli was named by the Italian press, preceding the revelation of Tonali and Zaniolo’s involvement.
According to the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, Tonali is expected to appear before the federal prosecutor Giuseppe Chine next week to minimize the harm caused. This follows the seizure of Tonali’s phone by Turin prosecutors after his questioning last week, and his lawyers’ subsequent meeting with Chine at the FIGC’s prosecutor’s office over the weekend.
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Tonali’s legal representatives have reportedly agreed that he will admit to placing bets related to football, aiming to secure a plea agreement with the prosecutor, akin to the one Fagioli had obtained prior to Tonali’s implication in the case. If he confesses to the alleged offenses, Tonali’s ban could be reduced by half.
During his interrogation, Fagioli purportedly informed prosecutors that an illegal application, allegedly found on his smartphone, was provided to him by Tonali. When asked if the Newcastle midfielder participated in football betting, Fagioli responded, “I don’t know if he [Tonali] bets on football.”
Tonali joined St James’ Park in a £60 million transfer from AC Milan in July and made an impactful debut by scoring in the 5-1 victory over Aston Villa. It remains uncertain whether he will be selected for their upcoming match against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
As for fellow Italy international Zaniolo, he has maintained that his bets were limited to blackjack and poker, actions that would not warrant a football ban but could result in potential fines.
The Daily Mail suggests that Aston Villa is not expected to take action against the player, who is on loan from Turkish club Galatasaray until the end of the season, while the investigation is ongoing.
Facts To Know About Footballer Sandro Tonali
Here are some facts to know about footballer Sandro Tonali:
- He was born on May 8, 2000, in Lodi, Italy.
- He plays as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder for Premier League club Newcastle United and the Italy national team.
- He is known for his passing ability, tackling, and work ethic.
- He has been compared to Italian legends Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso.
- He made his professional debut for Brescia Calcio in 2017 at the age of 17.
- He was named Serie B Player of the Year in 2019.
- He was signed by AC Milan in 2020 on a loan deal with an obligation to buy.
- He helped Milan win the Serie A title in 2022.
- He was signed by Newcastle United in 2023 for a reported €70 million, making him the most expensive Italian player of all time.
- He made his debut for the Italy national team in 2019.
- He was part of the Italy squad that won UEFA Euro 2020.
