Tonali's lawyers 'to negotiate plea bargain' that could see gambling ban halved
Sando Tonali's lawyers are allegedly hoping to deploy the same strategy as Nicolo Fagioli's team to ensure their client avoids a lengthy ban for gambling.
Tonali has admitted to betting on football matches, including those involving AC Milan, who he was then playing for. The midfielder has insisted that he only bet on Milan to win games and so is not suspected of match-fixing.
It is expected that he will hear from Italy's Football Federation and the prosecutor's office (FIGC) next week on the length of his ban. Illegal gambling can carry a ban of up to three years, though Tonali has been co-operating with the investigation.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Tonali's lawyers are hoping that his admission and his cooperation will help him avoid a long ban. They will travel to Rome on Monday to negotiate a plea bargain with prosecutors.
The agreement is said to automatically lead to the reduction of Tonali's ban by up to 50 per cent. It would be the same strategy used by Fagioli, who last week was banned for seven months for betting offences.
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The two situations are slightly different though, as Fagioli reported himself to FIGC as soon as the prosecutor put him under investigation. He also did not bet on his club Juventus, while Tonali put money on Milan.
Tonali's lawyers will discuss the length of the midfielder's ban during their meeting with the FIGC on Monday. It is said that any agreement will need the green light from the Attorney General for Sport at CONI and the federal president.
Tonali made a cameo appearance in Newcastle's thumping win over Crystal PalaceThe Newcastle star has been seeking help for a gambling addiction, with his lawyers are hoping to agree on a plea deal quickly. He played a cameo role in the Magpies' thumping win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, with boss Eddie Howe keen to prioritise his player's mental health.
“Let’s wait and see, but yes, I think the hardest part is ahead regardless of what happens. Immediately, you get a lot of attention and people are talking about the situation," Howe said after his side's win.
"He’s had the love of the supporters today, but that’s difficult to maintain over a long period of time. Who knows what’s ahead? I just think it’s great for him to know he’s got the support, not just of the senior management at the football club and the manager.
"But also the support of the supporters and they’re the most important people. It was a really important game today. It can’t be underestimated how tough those games are because you don’t have a full squad.
"We’re having to manage players who have travelled a long way and had a big mental load for their countries. So I’m really pleased with the players’ response to that because these are very tough games.
“Crystal Palace don’t concede many goals. We knew the first goal today was going to be really, really important and thankfully we got it quite early.”
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