Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali will miss the rest of the season and Euro 2024 after the Italian FA handed down a 10-month ban for illegal betting.
The suspension was confirmed by Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina on Thursday afternoon after the player negotiated a plea bargain with authorities that included offering a full admission of the breadth of his offending and agreeing to a treatment programme.
It is a bitter blow for Newcastle and the player but there will be some relief that the punishment allows him to continue training with his current club. It is also understood that he will be allowed to play in friendly games to keep his fitness topped up ahead of a return in the first few weeks of the 2024-25 season.
Tonali could have faced a three-year ban for the offences but that was negotiated down. He will also spend eight months in a recovery programme but is expected to remain in England acclimatising, with his current club set to offer him counselling and support as he serves his suspension.
Newcastle are yet to comment on the news of his suspension and there has been no word about any potential legal action against his former club Milan either.
The Italian side, who sold Tonali for £52m in the summer, are adamant that they had no idea about the gambling. That stance makes any potential claim difficult to prove but Eddie Howe said the club will “do what they have to do” when he was asked about the prospect last week.
The news was confirmed in Italy, where it had been widely reported that he would face a 10-month spell on the sidelines.
“An agreement has already been reached between the Federal Prosecutor’s Office and Sandro Tonali,” Gravina told reporters on Thursday.
“A plea bargain is envisaged for 18 months of which 8 months is activity recovery, some concerns therapeutic activity and at least 16 face-to-face meetings as testimony.
“A plea bargain is foreseen, mitigating circumstances are foreseen, the boys collaborated beyond belief, so we continue to respect the rules we have set for ourselves.”
The suspension gives Newcastle major headaches. They are already suffering a mini-injury crisis, while the £52m spent on Tonali will continue to factored into financial fair play calculations. Despite that significant outlay narrowing their wiggle room, they will get no benefit from it for the rest of this season.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/0lgbpad
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