Sandro Tonali is back. Almost 7 months after the disqualification inflicted by the Italian Football Federation for having improperly bet on matches in our championship, the former AC Milan player currently playing for Newcastle was the protagonist of a day full of appointments in Bari, as part of the rehabilitation program to overcome gambling addiction agreed with the FIGC. An awareness journey for the young generations and the opportunity for the midfielder from Lodi to significantly reduce the 18-month sanction, 8 of which were pardoned with this initiative which also brought him to the Apulian capital to meet some school groups from sports-oriented scientific high schools and a couple of football schools.
MY TRUE WEALTH – As reported La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sandro Tonali spoke in front of the students of the Salvemini High School, addressing the issue of gambling addiction head-on which, in addition to having made him miss his first season in the Premier League, will force him to watch the next European Championships on TV in which our national team will be involved. “Hiding behind the barriers of a problem is never the solution. We need to talk about it instead. Get help. My true wealth is not million-dollar contracts, but being surrounded by people who love me and continues to prove it to me every day”, declared the class of 2000. Who, also in the presence of the national president of the FIGC youth and school sector, Vito Tisci, and the regional federal coordinator, Antonello Quarto, added: “I was recently in a factory, I was able to reflect on how many work ten hours a day, just to bring home a salary. I understood many precious things. One above all: if a worker lost his job, his entire family would pay the consequences. Well, this is also why I consider myself lucky. I made a mistake, but I didn’t lose anything”.
IT’S EASIER IN ENGLAND – Having concluded the visit to the Salvemini institute, Sandro Tonali subsequently attended the federal training center of Bitetto and the Nick Bari and Levante Azzurro football schools, where he spoke with other boys eager like him to fulfill their dream of becoming footballers professionals: “In England football is more tiring but there is less pressure. Win or lose, you can still live your life in the evening. In Italy if things go badly, you often can’t leave the house. Here, we must all grow together for the good of our football and our society.”
WHEN HE RETURNS – For Tonali, also sanctioned by the Football Association for two months with probation for having bet on around 50 matches (4 for Newcastle) since his arrival in England, the return to the field is scheduled for August 28th, when the 2024/2025 Premier League will have already started a few weeks ago. The Lombard midfielder has trained constantly in recent months with Newcastle, but due to the disqualification he received he cannot participate in any matches, even friendly ones, with the first team or with the youth teams.
