Soccer rules are getting stricter by the day, and Sandro Tonali may have learned this the hard way. The Italian midfielder played a vital role in AC Milan’s Scudetto win in 2022, contributing significantly to their success. His performance for the Rossoneri led to a significant transfer to Newcastle United in the summer of 2023.
With everything going well for the 23-year-old, his career now seems to be facing a huge setback as he could be punished for breaking betting rules, a crime he committed while playing for AC Milan. How long could Sandro Tonali be banned? Let’s find out the possible length of the Italian’s ban.
Potential punishment for Sandro Tonali
Sandro Tonali is involved in a high-profile betting scandal alongside Italian teammates Nicolo Fagioli and Aston Villa’s Nico Zaniolo. Fagioli has already received a 12-month ban, with a 5-month exclusion, and a 12,500 euro ($13,225) fine. This means the Juventus midfielder will only serve a seven-month ban from football.
Fagioli, who confessed to being addicted to gambling, implicated Sandro Tonali in his deposition.
“I saw him (Tonali) playing and asked him what he was doing,” he told Tuttosport. “He told me I could do it too because there was no trace of betting. I placed the first bets on tennis and then football events. I placed bets on irregular sites. I remember one called Betart and another, Icebet,” Fagioli explained.
Tonali outright rejects any involvement in introducing anyone to sports betting. His unwavering refusal to collaborate with the authorities may lead to severe consequences, possibly resulting in a lengthy ban of up to three years.
According to Sky Sports, the Italian midfielder has also admitted to placing bets on AC Milan in matches he played in, although he placed the bets against his team losing. This is such a big betting crime, and it’s only a matter of time before the length of his ban is revealed.
Despite being in the middle of an investigation, Sandro Tonali continues to be available for Newcastle, and he was given a warm and kind gesture with his appearance against Crystal Palace at St. James’ Park. The home fans displayed a banner that showed “Forza Tonali” in support of the former AC Milan midfielder, and he took a lap of honor to appreciate the home fans at the end of the game.
Longest ban in the history of the game
Bans are a part of soccer as they keep players in check whenever they break the rules on a grand scale. Players like Rio Ferdinand, Luis Suarez, Erik Cantona, Diego Maradona, and Joey Barton have all been banned at some point in their careers.
The longest ban recorded in the game’s history was handed to Chilean goalkeeper Roberto Rojas. Rojas was handed a lifetime ban for using the dark arts to influence a World Cup game between Chile and Brazil. Chile were 1-0 down against Brazil when Rojas went down, holding his face while a firework was thrown, presumably hitting him in the face.
The goalkeeper was rushed off the pitch, and Chile refused to come back on, claiming they didn’t feel safe. However, video evidence showed that the fireworks did not hit Rojas. Instead, he cut himself in the face with a razor blade he had hidden in his glove. Brazil were handed a 2-0 win while Chile were kicked out of the World Cup, with Rojas, the team doctor, and head coach Orlando Aravena all handed life bans by FIFA.
Does Sandro Tonali deserve such severe punishment? Make sure to let us know in the comments.
