According to a report from Sky Italia, Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali could be set to face a ban from all football of up to one year as a result of the ongoing football betting scandal in the Italian game.
In a hearing at the Italian Federation in Turin on Wednesday morning, Tonali admitted to betting on AC Milan matches whilst still a player at the club, albeit he claims never in matches that he was playing in. The maximum ban that he could receive is up to three years but a plea agreement is likely to see that reduced down to 12 months.
The 23-year-old was named last week, alongside Nicolo Zaniolo, as having been a major name within the current investigation into illegal betting by footballers.
He, with Zaniolo and accompanied by national team delegate Gianluigi Buffon, was taken to a private room at the Italian national’s team training base of Coverciano last week to be questioned by authorities. Subsequently, both he and his teammate were released by the national side back to their clubs.
Another player that was initially named by gossip columnist Fabrizio Corona, who has been exclusively breaking the story over the past couple of weeks and has also indicated that Nicola Zalewski of Roma is involved as well as three Serie A presidents and over 50 other footballers, was Nicolo Fagioli.
The Juventus midfielder has already pleaded guilty to misdemeanours and has received a seven-month ban from all footballing activities.
Sandro Tonali’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, has said that the Newcastle player is suffering from a ‘gambling addiction’.
Tonali departed San Siro during the summer transfer window after helping them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League last season.
He joined Newcastle United for a fee believed to be in the region of £55 million and has been a key man for The Magpies at the start of the 2023/24 campaign.
