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Sandro Tonali has a ‘gambling addiction’, his agent has claimed.
The Italy star has been forced out of the squad for tonight’s Euro 2024 qualifying match against England.
Tonali and Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo were officially placed under investigation last week, with 40 players suspected of breaching betting rules.
Italian footballers could face a three-year ban if found guilty of failing to follow set guidelines.
Sandro Tonali has a ‘gambling addiction’ and the Italy star hopes to play for Newcastle on Saturday
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Tonali had tears in her eyes after being interrogated by the police while on international duty.
And his agent, Giuseppe Risso, has now confirmed that his client is suffering from gambling addiction.
Furthermore, he also hopes the investigation will ‘save’ Tonali – the midfielder will only join Newcastle from AC Milan in the summer.
“Sandro suffers from a gambling addiction,” he said at an event in London, according to The Sun.
“He is fighting to survive and I am sure he will win this tough game.
“He is shocked, he is shaken and sad.
“I hope this experience will save his life and that of many others, helping others who have fallen into the same habit as him.”
Risso also said Tonali could be available for Newcastle when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday.
“Sandro is training and he could even play on Saturday,” he said.
“He understood that he would have to face this problem boldly. The club is fully with him at this time.”
Italian media say Tonali is ready to cooperate with authorities and will reveal everything he knows about the betting scandal.
He is accused of gambling on football games, which is a violation of Article 24 of the Code of Sports Justice.
Another player facing charges is Juventus star Nicolo Fagioli.
And it has emerged that the midfielder could face a seven-month ban, with the final decision to be announced soon.
Meanwhile, Italy boss Luciano Spalletti has admitted it has been a ‘painful’ week for his team ahead of the match with England.
“It’s been painful for the team because we almost had officials in the dressing room,” he said.
“Everyone was surprised. Everyone was upset. Some of us were able to hug him before he went home.
“The players themselves were absolutely distraught because when you are part of a national team, very strong relationships and bonds are formed.
“Apart from the results you get, another thing you carry with you throughout your life are the lasting relationships you form in the national team set-up.
“I think it’s a form of temptation, gambling is a form of temptation, it’s an evil, and these things happen and can happen.
latest developments:
Newcastle and Italy star Sandro Tonali as well as Nicolo Zaniolo are also under investigation
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“But we are committed to continuing to talk to these players, we will keep our eye on them, and we will try to provide them with all the help, information and support we can to ensure they can get back on track Which they can do.” They enjoy doing this the most.
“We are all affected by this audacity.
“We need to move forward. We need to focus on what our goals are.”
“They are good players. But we can’t depend only on these players to get results.”
