Newcastle United’s £55m man issues ‘positive’ statement after 80th-minute substitution
Sandro Tonali was “positive” about Italy’s performance despite blowing a two-goal lead against Belgium.
The Newcastle United man started his third international fixture since returning from a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations. Italy stormed to a 2-0 lead over Belgium after just 24 minutes on home soil.
However, Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card shortly before half-time swung the game in the visitor’s favour. Maxim De Cuyper and Leandro Trossard pegged Belgium back, leaving Italy hanging on in the closing stages.
Italy remain top of their Nations League group following wins over France and Israel last month. Speaking post-match, Newcastle ace Tonali praised his teammates for digging in with 10 men. Watch on Shots! Geordie Journos reflect on Newcastle United takeover - three years on
“It was a positive game overall,” he said. “The red card is part of football, and we have to accept everything that comes with it. We showed that we know how to play, and it was challenging to confirm our abilities because that’s what everyone expected from us.
“We proved we are a team in the first 40 minutes. We accept that after a red card, the game can change, especially since they scored immediately after. However, for an hour, we held strong against a really tough opponent.
“In the first 40 minutes, you could see we were having fun on the field, which is something we’ve missed in the past year. That’s what we enjoy the most. Then this enjoyment turned into a struggle, but we remained united and compact, managing to finish the game with our heads held high.”
Tonali will now prepare to face Israel on Monday before returning to Newcastle training. The Magpies welcome Brighton to St James' Park a week tomorrow looking to end a three-game winless run in the Premier League.