Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has opened up about his transformation behind the scenes after being banned for betting-related offences.
The former AC Milan man recently returned to action in the Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Nottingham Forest on August 28 and since then, he has been very much part of Eddie Howe’s first-team plans and even returned to Italy’s national side with a sumptuous assist in a 3-1 victory over France.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Tonali has given an honest take on life before the 10-month ban, saying: “Before the mistake, I had two lives, because I was very closed to myself and I never spoke with people, also in the training ground, also with the staff.
“Now it’s totally different. Every day is different, especially with the staff and my team-mates, because it’s normal to speak every day, it’s normal to have a relationship.”
He added: “When I come to the training ground, I am the same person now; with the gaffer, with the staff, with my team-mates. Before these 10 months, before the last year, I don’t know, but it’s a little bit different because I was another person. I was two different people in my life and in football. And now I am only one person, only one.
“When I speak with the gaffer, I am Sandro. When I play, I am Sandro. When I come back to Italy, I am Sandro. I have understood this in the last year and these 10 months.”
Even after the layoff, the centre-midfielder has slotted back into the Magpies’ midfield like he has never been away with several smart passes and deft touched in his first game back at the City Ground.
On his return to football, he explained: “The feeling [to be back celebrating with the fans] was very, very good, because the fans were crazy after the first game [against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup].
“After the second game, the same for Bruno and Joelinton, because they supported me every day during the ban. With Trippier, and the captain Jamaal, these four, for me, were maybe the best players to support me.
“But every player and all the team [helped me] – it’s a surprise for me, because I was a new player. I was here only for two months. But every person in the city, from working in Newcastle, all the people who live here, they support me and help me.”
Tonali will be hoping to put the 10-month period behind him and will be aiming to progress on both the domestic and international stages. Of course, 10 months out is not ideal, whatever way you see it, but at just 24 there is plenty of time to make up for his absence. It is easy to forget the excitement that surrounded his switch from northern Italy to the Northeast of England in July 2023.
Away from people’s opinions of the situation, the cold hard facts are that he is a potentially world-class midfielder with experience of winning silverware that will no doubt help Howe’s side progress to the ‘next level’.
Be the first to comment