With Nicolò Fagioli receiving a 12-month ban, with five months suspended, the next in line is Sandro Tonali. The former Milan midfielder is set to be handed an even lengthier ban in comparison to his compatriot, and Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has thrown his support behind Tonali during these tough times.
On the eve of the clash against Crystal Palace, the Magpies boss lauded Tonali for coming out clean and backed him to get back to playing ways.
“He’s had a very, very difficult couple of weeks and has been dealing with a lot of things. From what I can see he’s behaving very well and dealing with his emotions strongly, but I’ll have to call him. I have to bring him back to football and what he is offering on the pitch to try to make the best decision for the team.” (via Sky Sport)
He expressed unwavering support to the Brescia youth product.
“For me the most important part of this whole affair is that Sandro is well. What we feel as a club, right from the start, is to embrace him and protect him to give him the love and support he needs to find solutions to the problems he has.”
Tonali could be given a potential three-year ban and a substantial fine if found guilty of breaching the FIGC Code of Conduct. He was excluded from Italy’s squad ahead of the game vs England, but Howe confirmed the midfielder is available for selection for the Crystal Palace encounter, although he stopped short of confirming his presence.
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