Italy international Sandro Tonali has been included in the Newcastle line-up for their EFL Cup fixture away at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, marking his return to competitive action for the first time since October 2023.
Tonali was handed a 10-month ban last year after it emerged that he had been involved in prohibited gambling activity.
Last autumn, he confessed to FIGC prosecutors that he had placed bets on football, and on his own teams while playing for Milan and Brescia.
It is against the rules for football players to bet on any sporting event, but bets on games involving their own teams tend to warrant much heftier punishments.
The 24-year-old, who had only moved to Newcastle a few months before his ban was confirmed, was eventually suspended for 10 months and was also handed a €20,000 fine and instructed to attend a series of events warning others of the dangers of gambling.
Tonali returns to competitive action
He has since served his ban in full, and is eligible to return to competitive action for club and country as of August 28.
He will be in the Newcastle midfield for tonight’s EFL Cup game against Nottingham Forest, and is in line to be involved with Eddie Howe’s squad for the Premier League match at home against Tottenham on Sunday.
The 24-year-old has also been tipped for a return to Luciano Spalletti’s Italy national team squad for Nations League matches against France and Israel at the beginning of September.
Let's go, lads! 💪🏆 pic.twitter.com/X9CGABVuC0
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) August 28, 2024