Newcastle United are ready to face off against Milan in their first Champions League outing in a decade and one player who could prove to be the difference maker is Sandro Tonali, Apollo Heyes writes.
The Magpies secured an impressive fourth-place finish under Eddie Howe in the Premier League last season, qualifying them to Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign, when they finished second in their first group behind Juventus and third in their second group behind Inter and Barcelona.
Joining Newcastle and Milan in Group F this season – already monikered the ‘group of death’ – are Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund. Getting off to a strong start could be key in reaching the knock-out stages, pilling the pressure on the Magpies and Rossoneri ahead of their opening clash in San Siro.
It also seems like fate that these two teams would meet in Europe this season. The summer started with Newcastle’s statement signing of Tonali, a transfer that broke Milan hearts and raised various questions amongst supporters regarding player loyalty, the direction of the Rossoneri project and the impact of state-backing in modern football.
Tonali grew into a key figure for Milan during his three-year spell at the club and Newcastle’s acquisition looked a smart one, adding a dynamic and hard-working midfielder to Howe’s fast-moving project in the North East.
The 23-year-old may punish his former club on the European stage, knowing Stefano Pioli’s system well, but much depends on how he’s utilised by the Magpies, who are still seemingly tinkering with his role in the set-up.
Whilst Tonali is capable defensively, he’s not at his best when playing as a holding midfielder, a role that limits his ability to both drive forward with the ball and support attacking moves by using his clever off-the-ball movement to find dangerous pockets of space.
In his last season with Milan, the Italian midfielder averaged 5.28 progressive passes per 90 minutes and 2.03 progressive carries per 90, shining as a mezzala, a role that afforded him more freedom and chances to take risks. This allowed him to regularly contribute to attacks, averaging 3.35 shot-creating actions per 90, whilst also remaining solid and aware in defence.
Howe has deployed Tonali as the right sided midfielder in a three-man department consisting of Bruno Guimaraes in the centre and Joelinton on the left. When looking at heatmaps of his first four Premier League matches, it’s apparent that the 23-year-old is being instructed to remain wide on the right and rarely venture into the opposition final third, decisions that limit his ability to shine.
In the 2022-23 campaign, the Italian midfielder scored twice and provided 10 assists across 48 total appearances, numbers he’s unlikely to replicate in Tyneside considering his on-pitch instructions. Should Howe give him the freedom to foray forward and support attacking moves more tangibly, the former Milan man could be the star of the show at San Siro.