Tonali: “I missed football, but now I’m back. Every person at Newcastle helps me”

Sandro Tonali with an open heart. The Italian midfielder, formerly of Milan and currently at Newcastle, wanted to talk to the microphones of Sky Sports UK to face the worst period of his life as a footballer when he had to serve 10 months off the pitch for violating the rules on betting on football matches. A period of inactivity that affected him a lot: “I missed the last 10 months,” said Tonali. “I missed football, I missed the stadium, all the emotions on the pitch. But now I’m back and I’m back, I think, very well. I spoke with the team,” he said, “and with the sporting director. The general director was happy. I understood my mistake.”

On his return to St James’ Park, fans celebrated as the club won 2-1 against Tottenham before the international break: “The feeling (of returning to celebrate with the fans, ed.) was very, very nice, because the fans had gone crazy after the first match (against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, ed.),” he said.

Some teammates have really supported him, without letting him miss anything, even though he arrived from Milan exactly one year ago.: “After the second game, the same goes for Bruno (Guimaraes, ed.) and Joelinton, because they supported me every day during the ban. With Trippier and the captain Jamaal, these four, for me, were perhaps the best players to support me. But all the players and the whole team… it was a surprise for me, because I was a new player. I had only been here for two months. But every person in the city, from those who work in Newcastle, to all the people who live here, they support me and help me,” he concluded.