Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Wolves after FIFA ratified his 10-month ban.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed on Thursday that the 23-year-old had been suspended until next season after agreeing a plea bargain as part of an investigation into illegal betting activity.
On Friday morning Newcastle said they had yet to be officially informed of the ban, and the £55million summer signing from AC Milan was therefore expected to travel to the Midlands with the rest of the squad.
But FIFA later confirmed the request submitted by the FIGC to extend the sanction it imposed on Tonali to have worldwide effect has now been granted.
Magpies head coach Eddie Howe said at his morning press conference: “It’s a difficult one because we haven’t had official confirmation as a football club yet.
“We’ve heard the news, the statement, but we haven’t had anything from the Italian authorities at the moment, so we’re in limbo, really, waiting for that official confirmation to come through.”
Asked if there was a chance the Italy international could be involved at Molineux, Howe added: “Yes, I think there’s a high chance again that he could be available for us.
“I still think there are a few things that have to happen before the ban is imposed, so let’s see.”
The Italy international was also fined 20,000 euros and will have to undergo eight months of therapy as well as carrying out a series of public appearances.
Tonali found himself at the centre of a probe during this month’s international break into breaches of betting rules and was alleged to have wagered on games involving former clubs Brescia and Milan during his spells with them.
Agent Giuseppe Riso has claimed Tonali is living with a “gambling addiction” and the Magpies have vowed to support him as he attempts to deal with that, but as it stands he remains available for selection at a time when Howe’s midfield resources have been depleted by a back injury which will sideline Elliot Anderson for eight weeks, while Jacob Murphy is awaiting a verdict on the shoulder he dislocated against Dortmund.
The Magpies boss, who will be without striker Alexander Isak following a recurrence of a groin problem, said: “At the moment, he’s travelling with us. We’re preparing as if he’s fit and available to play.”
In the longer term, Howe knows Tonali faces a difficult spell on the sidelines – the club does not yet know whether he will be able to train with his team-mates – and one which will have to be carefully managed.
He said: “Certainly with Sandro’s situation, if he is ultimately banned for that length of time, he’s going to have really difficult moments within that timeframe, a lot of attention on him initially, and that’s a difficult situation for him.
“But then no doubt there’ll be a period where it’s just training – wherever he trains – and no game, and that’s very difficult for any player to adjust to, especially when they’re fit and able to play, so that’s going to be a difficult one.
“The communication between us, me and my coaching staff and him, is going to be hugely important.”
Van Dijk welcomes Slot arrival as Liverpool captain commits to Reds future
Virgil van Dijk insists his future remains solely with Liverpool as the Reds captain welcomed incoming Dutch compatriot Arne Slot.
Slot will replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, with the Dutchman expected to take charge at Anfield from Saturday after sealing his switch from Feyenoord.
The soon-to-be Liverpool boss leaves the Netherlands after three highly successful seasons with Feyenoord, having led them to the league title in 2023.
Slot will be welcomed by two fellow countrymen on the red side of Merseyside, with Van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch eager to link-up with their new manager.
As Netherlands began their Euro 2024 training camp on Monday, Van Dijk told a news conference: "I still have a year left on my contract.
"I am club captain and I have made it clear I am there for the new coach and enthusiastic over the next season.
"Obviously, there will be a lot of changes but I am confident we will make a big success of it.
"I congratulated [Slot] of course and I'm really pleased for him and his family. We spoke about the team and the future but now my focus is fully on the national team."
Slot's reign ended with six straight league wins and Feyenoord did not lose any of his final 20 Eredivisie matches at the helm, their last defeat coming against PSV on December 3.
The 45-year-old oversaw exactly 150 games in charge of Feyenoord across all competitions, winning 98 of those contests (65.33 per cent).
Slot also won the KNVB Cup glory in April, overseeing a 1-0 win over NEC Nijmegen in the final of that competition, and Gravenberch believes that success has earnt his Liverpool move.
"I think he can be good for my career, he's a coach who wants to play good football," added Gravenberch.
UEFA and FIFA warned to halt Super League opposition by Spanish court
FIFA and UEFA have been told to stop their opposition against the European Super League (ESL), with a Spanish court ruling warning of anti-competitive behaviour and abuse of a dominant position.
Madrid's commercial court said on Monday the European and world governing bodies violated competition law by banning and punishing clubs from participating in a proposed new tournament.
FIFA and UEFA were told to reverse any anticompetitive actions committed in the past after A22 Sports Management, the company behind the plan to create the ESL, brought the case to Spanish court.
"It's an important step towards a truly competitive and sustainable club football landscape in Europe," A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said in a statement after the ruling.
"For too long UEFA has been allowed to control and dominate club football at European level."
Reichart added that UEFA's position on the ESL has "stifled innovation for decades", though celebrated "the era of the monopoly [as] definitively over".
The case was also brought against LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), though that pair and UEFA insisted the court ruling did not explicitly support the creation of the Super League.
"The court has not given the green light to, nor has it approved, projects like the Super League," UEFA said in a follow-up statement.
"In fact, the judge has asserted that the Super League project has long been abandoned and that she cannot be expected to rule on any abstract projects.
"In short, the judgment does not give third parties the right to develop competitions without authorisation and does not concern any future project or indeed any modified version of an existing project."
English football's so-called 'big six' – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – were founding members of the original Super League project in April 2021.
Yet those Premier League clubs quickly withdrew amid fan protests and pressure from the football authorities, with Milan, Inter and Atletico Madrid following a similar suit.
UEFA has since changed its rules around new competitions following the collapse of the ESL proposal in April 2021 and the court says those new rules are unaffected by Monday's ruling.
"The court also confirmed that the current version of UEFA's authorisation rules [as adopted in June 2022] is not affected by today's ruling," the European governing body added.
Bonmati named Women's Champions League Player of Season for second straight campaign
Aitana Bonmati secured the Women's Champions League Player of the Season for a second straight campaign after guiding Barcelona to European glory.
The Spain international scored in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Lyon in the final, helping Jonatan Giraldez's side clinch an unprecedented quadruple.
Fellow Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas produced the other goal in that victory, but Bonmati was named Player of the Match after another eye-catching performance.
With six goals and six assists, the 26-year-old managed more goal contributions than any other player in this season's Champions League, and that earned Bonmati further individual recognition.
"She influenced the game all over the pitch in and out of possession. High progressive passes, high ball recoveries and scored a great goal," UEFA's technical observer panel said in a statement.
Bonmati also scored eight goals in Barcelona's victorious Liga F campaign this season, helping the Spanish giants win the competition for a fifth consecutive time.
Having already won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA's best women's player award for 2023, this UEFA award caps a fine season for the impressive Bonmati.
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