Tonali Set for Emotional Newcastle Return as Midfielder Opens Up on His Suspension
Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali is poised to make a dramatic return to action against Nottingham Forest tonight, having served his 10-month ban for breaching betting rules.
In a candid interview, Tonali has revealed the toll the suspension has taken on his life and thanked his teammates and psychologist for helping him through the toughest period of his career. The 24-year-old has been away from football since October 2022 and is keen to put the dark days behind him.
"It was very difficult in October, November, December – the first three months. Now I feel it is a new time. It is another point in my life. I have a great team," Tonali said. "I went back to Italy 16 times, 16 meetings with the federation, with kids, and it was so important for me. This problem is a problem… for football players. But players are lucky. I don’t have problems normal people have."
During his time away from football, Tonali has undergone a "therapeutic plan" and "educational programme" in Italy, and has been involved in helping other gamblers tackle their issues.
He will face Forest at the City Ground in the Carabao Cup tie, with Eddie Howe confirming he will be in the Newcastle squad. The Newcastle manager hailed Tonali’s mentality, stating: "He’s a very strong guy, he’s handled this situation so well. He’s shown real strength, dignity, integrity."
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Tune in to tonight’s match between Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United for the return of Sandro Tonali! We’ll bring you the latest news and analysis throughout the match, plus post-game reactions from Eddie Howe and Sandro Tonali himself! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up to date on all things #NewcastleUnited