Newcastle star Tonali ‘agrees’ to 10-month ban plus eight months of ‘alternative penalties’

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has reportedly agreed to a ten-month ban from football over his part in the Italian football betting scandal.

Tonali’s representatives reportedly spent Monday in discussions with prosecutors, who launched an investigation while he was away on international duty earlier this month.

He and compatriot Nicolo Zaniolo, currently on loan at Aston Villa from Galatasaray, are subject to a probe by the Italian Prosecutor’s Office and Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in relation to illegal betting activity.

Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Riso had claimed the player was living with a “gambling addiction” and if breaches were found to have taken place, he could face many months on the sidelines.

The midfielder, who joined the Magpies in a £55million summer move from Milan, is accused of placing bets on the Rossoneri and former club Brescia during his time with them.

There was a report yesterday in Italy that Tonali and his representatives were expecting ‘white smoke’ and a decision on a possible ban very soon.

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And now the Daily Mail claim that the Newcastle midfielder has ‘agreed’ to a 10-month ban ‘with Italian authorities ready to confirm his ban for illegal betting’.

They add that the final details of ‘an agreement is close’ after negotiations with prosecutors and the Italian Football Federation – but that the decision is ‘not likely to arrive officially’ before Newcastle take on Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night.

And that should allow Tonali to play against Dortmund if Eddie Howe chooses to do so with a ban ‘only effective from the following day’.

The Daily Mail adds: ‘Crucially, for Tonali and Newcastle, he will be free to train with the team during his suspension, which is set to run until late August of next year. He will miss Euro 2024 and the early weeks of the Premier League season.’

Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting the same as the Daily Mail and add that Tonali will also be given eight months of ‘alternative penalties’.

Those additional penalties include a ‘commitment of adhering to an anti-gambling treatment plan and the availability to act as a testimonial against compulsive and illegal gambling at some amateur sports associations’.

There has been some sympathy for Tonali’s situation but former West Ham forward Paolo Di Canio insists footballers who gamble on matches are “stupid”.

“There are a million things they could do. [Bet on] cats, dogs, hamsters. I am not suggesting anything. Of course, it would be better not to gamble at all. Did you bet on football? You must be empty. This is stupidity. You must be stupid.

“There are different plans. We are not talking about match-fixing here. Luckily this is not the case. There are different plans regarding gambling addiction too. So, what was the problem?”