Newcastle United’s midfielder Sandro Tonali finds himself embroiled in another controversy as he faces misconduct charges from the Football Association (FA) for alleged breaches of betting rules.
Tonali, 23, who joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £55m in July, is currently serving a 10-month ban imposed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) since October for similar infractions in Italy.
The FA alleges that Tonali placed 50 bets on matches between August 12 and October 12, 2023, contravening betting regulations. Newcastle United released a statement acknowledging the charges, affirming Tonali’s cooperation with the investigations and expressing their continued support for him.Tonali’s ban, initiated by the FIGC, prohibits him from participating in any matches until August and renders him ineligible for Euro 2024.
Additionally, he was fined 20,000 euros and mandated to undergo an eight-month therapeutic program aimed at addressing gambling addiction. This program includes public appearances in Italy, where Tonali will speak to young athletes about the risks associated with gambling.
Despite his inability to play matches, Tonali is allowed to train with his Newcastle teammates during his suspension, although he had only made 12 appearances for the club under manager Eddie Howe prior to his ban. He has until April 5 to respond to the FA’s charges.
