Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has been told by his agents to visit therapy for a gambling addition, after being caught up in an alleged illegal betting scandal in Italy.
That’s according to Corriere della Sera, relayed by Corriere dello Sport, who cover the latest on the midfielder after the scandal which has surrounded him and Italy teammates Nicolo Zaniolo and Nicolo Fagioli this week.
The trio were a part of Italy’s squad for this international break but are now on the way back to their clubs after police attended Italy’s training camp to speak to the trio as part of an investigation into illegal gambling.
They saw their phones, tablets and other electronic devices taken away as part of a wider investigation into the matter.
The trio are facing fines and potential three-year bans if they are found guilty of betting illegally on games, although Tonali and Zaniolo have denied every doing so.
The Newcastle United midfielder appears to have been hit particularly hard by the incident, with it reported in Italy that he cried and distressed and disheartened by what’s gone on.
Corriere continue that by saying ‘the blow was terrible’ for the midfielder, likening it to a train passing over him or something suffocating him.
Tonali is said to have ‘reacted badly’ to the accusations of betting on illegal gaming platforms, crying to his loved ones and agents in meetings this week.
He accepts that he made a mistake out of boredom, but his agents believe the issue is a deeper one and have told him to meet with a therapist to ‘overcome the problem of gambling addiction’. That’s a suggestion he accepted, ‘albeit with embarrassment’.
His entourage are insisting the whole affair is a “mistake of youth” and have urged him to now show maturity and demonstrate he’s learned his lesson.
The Newcastle United man will make himself available to the Federation for a series of meetings with young people on the behaviours to avoid.
In the meantime, he needs to focus on football and the Magpies sent a private flight to collect him, with Eddie Howe waiting in the North East and already asking for ‘information on his psychological state’ before sending him a private message.
What that contained remains private for the time being, but it seems those in charge at St James Park are determined to take care of their player and ensure his mental wellbeing above all else.
