Newcastle’s Tonali Spent 10-Month Ban Helping Problem Gamblers

In October 2023, Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali was slapped with a 10-month ban for placing wagers on Serie A teams he played for. 

The ban, which was imposed by the Italian soccer federation and was applied globally after receiving endorsement from Fifa, ended last Wednesday. 

Tonali said he spent the ban helping fellow gamblers tackle their problem gambling issues. 

Tonali Didn’t Score During His Return Match

The 24-year-old soccer star who joined the Magpies after leaving AC Milan for a £55 million ($72 million) contract (the second most expensive signing) in July 2023 joined his team last Wednesday in the game against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup’s second round.

Newcastle won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1- draw, progressing into the third round.

Tonali was close to marking his much-anticipated return goal after latching onto Alexander Isak‘s pass. 

However, the player who only needed six minutes to score against Aston Villa last season when he made his Premier League debut, almost marked his highly-anticipated return to action with a goal as the Italian midfielder latched onto Isak’s pass but was denied by Carlos Miguel, who quickly blocked with his left leg.

Tonali Inspired Others to Seek Help

In an interview for the club’s television channel, the midfielder said that during the first three months of his ban, which were “very, very, very difficult,” he “met a lot of people with ordinary jobs, especially in Newcastle, who had this problem and who had never spoken before now.”

He said the problem gamblers he spoke to found inspiration in his own story that was made public in the media, which helped them decide “to get help and stop bottling things up.”

“This made me very happy,” Tonali added. 

Besides his harsh suspension, the player was also ordered to complete an education program and made 16 trips back to Italy to touch the topic of problem gambling and its dangers with the next generation in soccer. 

Tonali explained that knowing that his story helped both the public and fellow players confront their problems resulted in a silver lining to the difficult time he experienced.

“These people got help just by talking, at first by talking but then with another one thousand ways,” he further added, saying communication was the first step toward getting rid of the “enormous” block.

The player also took the opportunity to thank fans and club members for their support. While he was able to train daily, he still missed matchdays. 

The side’s manager, Eddie Howe, said Tonali, whom he called “fit” and ready to go, would be going through a “range of emotions” while making his return from which he can expect an incredible release.