Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali could be handed a 16 month ban for his involvement in the Italian football betting scandal.
That’s according to Calciomercato.it, relaying information from Il Messaggero, who say the midfielder’s decision to ‘confess the whole truth’ will lessen the severity of the punishment he receives.
They explain that Tonali detailed his involvement to prosecutors for over two and a half hours of interrogation this week and is now awaiting the final sentence.
However, because he has admitted to betting on football and Milan, the Newcastle midfielder risks a higher disqualification than the seven-month ban assigned to Nicolo Fagioli as part of the same investigation.
Tonali elected to take the ‘path of plea bargaining’ as Fagioli did, a decision that will allow him to receive a shorter punishment than the initial 48 month ban which had been suggested.
According to Il Messaggero, the former Milan player could be handed a ban of at least 16 months, plus further time to be served in ‘re-educational prescriptions’.
This is similar to what was handed down to Fagioli, who will serve a 12-month ban in total but can serve at least five of those participating in a ‘therapeutic plan’ lasting at least six months and for at least 10 games.
In simpler terms, five months of his ban must be spent in therapy for gambling addiction to underline his desire to ‘come out of an illness’ that ‘brought him to the brink’. It is likely to be the same for Tonali.
Regardless of what happens, Newcastle have already ‘guaranteed maximum support’ for Tonali, who will be allowed to continue to train with Eddie Howe and his squad.
That’s a minor positive, though, and there is no denying that a stop of this magnitude ‘clearly risks slowing down’ a career which had appeared to be on the up.
