SANDRO TONALI risks ANOTHER ban after allegedly gambling on Newcastle matches this season.
The Magpies midfielder, 23, was slapped with a ten-month suspension in October for illegal betting while at AC Milan before joining Toon last summer for £55million.
APSandro Tonali is already serving a ten-month betting ban[/caption]
Tonali is due to return in late August but the FA have charged him for breaking betting rules 50 times AFTER moving to Tyneside – including on Newcastle games.
The FA could hit him with further sanctions, though the club hope any further ban will run concurrently to the one imposed by Italian authorities given he provided them with evidence last autumn during the initial probe.
An FA statement read: “Sandro Tonali has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of The FA’s Betting Rules.
“It’s alleged that the Newcastle United midfielder breached FA Rule E8 50 times by placing bets on football matches between 12 August 2023 and 12 October 2023. Sandro Tonali has until 5 April 2024 to respond.”
Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan in July but was banned for 10 months by the Italian FA in October for betting on matches involving his former teams Brescia and Milan.
However, he has been able to train with Eddie Howe’s squad having made just 12 appearances for the Geordies, unlike Brentford striker Ivan Toney’s case.
Tonali’s agent said the Italian international is suffering from a gambling addiction, adding: “I hope that this experience saves his life and that of many others, that it helps those who fall into the same habit as him.”
Questions have been raised over how much due diligence Newcastle did before signing Tonali.
Sandro Tonali betting history
July, 2023 – Sandro Tonali signs for Newcastle United in a £55m deal from AC Milan.
October 12, 2023 – Tonali is released from International duty with Italy alongside teammate Nicolo Zaniolo amid an investigation from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) relating to illegal betting activity from his time in Italy before signing for Newcastle.
October 21, 2023 – Tonali plays 21 minutes in what is his last Newcastle United game of the season during a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace.
October 26, 2023 – FIGC announced a 10-month ban from football for club and country for Tonali after he is found guilty of illegal betting.
Tonali agrees to eight-month rehabilitation course for a gambling addiction as part of the announcement.
March 28, 2024 – Tonali is charged with misconduct by the FA regarding a fresh set of betting allegations.
The midfielder is alleged to have breached FA betting rules 50 TIMES by betting on football during his time at Newcastle United between August 12 2023 and October 12 2023.
August 27, 2024 – The nine-month ban Tonali was handed for his initial breaches in Italy is set to come to an end on August 27 this year.
However the Magpies man could now face an increased stint away from football if he is found guilty of the FA’s charges.
Speaking last October, boss Eddie Howe said: “I’ve seen a lot of comments from people saying we should have known.
“There’s absolutely no way we could have known.
“You can say about putting more resources into it, but there are some things you will never know about someone’s personal life.
“You make a signing in good faith. There will always be an element of risk with any player that you sign.”
Yesterday, a club statement said: “Newcastle United acknowledges a misconduct charge received by Sandro Tonali in respect of alleged breaches of FA Betting Rules.
“Sandro continues to fully comply with relevant investigations and he retains the club’s full support.”
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
Never chase their losses
Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
GambleAlert – gamblealert.org
Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the GambleAlert Helpline on +234 9162957989.