Italy boss claims Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali may be ‘releasing anger’ after 10-month betting ban
Sandro Tonali starred for Italy in a comfortable 4-1 Nations League victory over Israel
Italian national team manager Luciano Spalletti has described Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali as an ‘immense’ talent after helping his team to a 4-1 victory over Israel in the UEFA Nations League. Tonali played the full 90 minutes at the Bluenergy Stadium, in a match which marked his fourth appearance for Italy since returning from his 10-month ban for breaching FA betting rules.
Spalletti says he is hoping to ‘rejuvenate’ the Italy team after a disappointing European Championship which ended against Switzerland in the round-of-16 and says he has been delighted with Tonali’s performances since returning in August.
The former Napoli boss told Italian outlet CMW: “These lads have proved they deserve the national team. After the Euros, I wanted to rejuvenate the team a little, but they’ve all proved they’re genuinely up to the task.
“Tonali is immense in what he does. He’s incredible, and the game could last forever for him. When he turns the car on, he goes full speed and doesn’t change when he turns it off. Perhaps he is still releasing anger after what happened last year.”
Tonali was welcomed back to the team alongside Nicolò Fagioli, who returned to the set-up three months earlier after a similar gambling related ban. The manager added: “They’ve felt everyone’s trust. We discussed how to recover them. “When guys like them realise this, they can make a difference.”
Tonali has played six times for Newcastle since returning to the side from suspension and was included in the starting line-up alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton for recent Premier League draws against Manchester City and Everton. When Howe signed Tonali, he described him to Sky Sports as “an exceptional talent and has the mentality, physicality and technical attributes to be a great fit for us.”
Meanwhile, Anthony Gordon simply referred to him as ‘one of the best midfielders in the world.’ Tonali showed flashes of his very best form when he scored on his St James’ Park debut against Aston Villa over 12 months ago and has been a steady performer since returning to the line-up this term.
He will hope to start Newcastle’s upcoming game against Brighton at the weekend after returning from international duty.