“Shocking Confession: Sandro Tonali Reveals the Dark Truth Behind His Gambling Addiction in Candid Interview
Newcastle United paid £55 million to bring Sandro Tonali from AC Milan in 2023, but before his career on Tyneside could truly take off, he was found guilty of breaching betting rules during his time at Milan, resulting in a 10-month ban.
Tonali made his return to action early this season and quickly became a key figure in Newcastle’s success, carrying his strong club form into his performances at the international level as well.
A lifelong AC Milan fan, Tonali had been living his dream playing for the club he adored, which led many Milan supporters to believe that he didn’t want to leave for the Premier League.
Since joining Newcastle, the 24-year-old has been frequently linked with a possible return to Italy.
Reflecting on his time at Milan, Tonali admitted that, despite his deep love for the club, playing for his boyhood team didn’t bring him the fulfillment he expected. He shared with Cronache di Spogliatoio:
“Honestly, when Milan bought me, I had just come from a season at Brescia with a contract worth €200,000.
Suddenly, I found myself at Milan, the team I had supported as a child, with a contract worth about €2.5m. I thought: ‘Okay, I’ve made it, I’ve arrived.
What’s left to do?’ I didn’t come from a wealthy family or a big city, so I thought: ‘This is it, now I’m just having fun, I don’t need to worry about anything anymore.’”
At just 20 years old, Tonali was living the dream—playing for his favorite club, making significant money, and with his girlfriend by his side. Yet, he admitted that this led to a lack of motivation.
“I had no goals in life. I struggled because these thoughts off the field started affecting my performances on the pitch.”
Tonali also revealed that he found the demands at Milan overwhelming, especially in his first season, which contributed to his struggles.
He recalled, “At Brescia, we played once a week, but suddenly I was playing in the Europa League, Coppa Italia, and Serie A.
It was exhausting, and I suffered a lot. There were times when I even preferred not to play, which shows the kind of place I was in.”
However, it seems those challenges are now behind him. His renewed focus on football is evident in his performances for Newcastle, and it’s clear that his passion for the game is fully back, which can only benefit his new club.
