Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is facing a lengthy ban from football after placing bets on AC Milan matches during his time at the club.
Italian football has been rocked by a betting scandal that involves Tonali, Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo, Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli and other as yet unnamed footballers.
Fagioli has already been handed a seven-month ban after admitting to betting offences – his punishment a reduction from the three-year ban he could have received had he not fully co-operated with the investigation conducted by Turin-based prosecutors.
Tonali and Zaniolo were sent home from Italy’s national team camp last Thursday after being quizzed by police, and the former’s agent admitted on Tuesday that the 23-year-old has a gambling addiction that he is seeking treatment and help for.
Initial probes suggested that Tonali had not bet on football matches, instead placing money on poker and other casino related games, but after seizing phones and other devices, it was revealed that the central midfielder had in fact bet on matches relating to AC Milan.
Tonali admitted to prosecutors at a hearing at the Italian Federation on Tuesday that he’d bet on the outcome of Milan’s matches during his time at San Siro, though he wasn’t necessarily involved in the games himself.
Newcastle are somewhat ‘surprised’ by Tonali’s admissions having previously been under the impresson that any offences were not related to football.
The maximum punishment for betting offences under FIFA Code 26 is a three-year worldwide ban from football, though Tonali’s ban will be reduced like Fagioli’s after admitting his guilt.
Tonali could still miss the remainder of Newcastle’s season, which has seen them venture back into the Champions League after securing a top-four Premier League finish during 2022/23.
