Newcastle Midfielder Sandro Tonali Handed Suspended Two-Month FA Betting Ban

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has received a suspended two-month ban after conceding violations of the Football Association’s betting regulations.

The Italian, 23, will not serve the ban provided he does not commit further breaches before the end of the next season. Tonali has also been fined £20,000.

Tonali, who joined Newcastle in a £55M move from AC Milan in the summer is currently serving a 10-month suspension until August 2024, for prior offenses committed in Italy. He was charged by the FA in March and admitted placing between 40 and 50 football bets after joining the club, including four on the Magpies’ results.

The FA revealed that the midfielder staked amounts totaling well over 100,000 euros (£85,600). Tonali’s four bets were reportedly placed on Newcastle and he predicted wins for his team. He also participated in three of those four games.

Newcastle said Tonali is “continuing to follow a therapeutic plan and educational programme with the club’s full support and will continue to train with his team-mates.”

An independent regulatory commission heard the process has had a “profound effect on the midfielder and is something he does not want to experience again.” However, the FA believe that the integrity of the matches Tonali staked on was not called into question.

The written reasons issued on Thursday stated the four Newcastle matches Tonali admitted staking on were an accumulator involving either Newcastle to beat Brighton on September 2, 2023 or to beat Burnley on September 30; an accumulator including Newcastle to beat Brentford on September 16; a single bet on Newcastle to beat Manchester City on September 27 and an accumulator including Newcastle to beat West Ham on October 8.

The written reason also stated that Tonali “voluntarily disclosed all of the key evidence that the FA seeks to rely upon. Without [Tonali]’s proactive assistance in this matter, the FA would have no case. This fact is an essential aspect of this case.”

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