Newcastle: Sandro Tonali singled out by national media after Italy suffer ‘third apocalypse’ vs Bosnia
Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali was singled out for praise after Italy’s penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina saw them miss out on another World Cup.
The Azzurri played out a 1-1 draw in Zenica as the hosts were aided by Alessandro Bastoni’s 41st-minute red card, before they then triumphed 4-1 on penalties to spark a major upset.
Italy have now missed out on qualification for the World Cup for the third consecutive edition of the tournament, a blow which has been labelled as the “third apocalypse” by Gazzetta Dello Sport, with the position of manager Gennaro Gattuso now being called into question.
Tonali played from start to finish at the heart of the midfield on Tuesday night, but he was unable to help drag his team through the ball and into the upcoming tournament.
He has been a vital cog in Newcastle’s efforts this season, and he has escaped any criticism following the debacle surrounding his national team in midweek.
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VISIT THE NEWCASTLE MATCH HUBSandro Tonali ‘cannot be ignored’ for Italy
Tonali’s influence has grown significantly at Newcastle in recent years, to the point where he is now one of the first names on the teamsheet for Eddie Howe each week.
He has also been a crucial figure for Italy throughout their latest qualifying campaign, and he was trusted to play the entire 120 minutes of action in their play-off final.
| Stats | Tonali Total |
| Touches | 53 |
| Accurate Passes | 30/38 (79%) |
| Interceptions | 1 |
| Recoveries | 4 |
| Duels Won | 5/8 (62.5%) |
The 25-year-old appeared to handle the pressure of such a big occasion well, and he was also the only Italian player to step up and find the net in the shootout.
His efforts have been recognised by the national media amid all the anger, with Calcio Mercato singling him out for particularly high praise.
They handed him a 6.5/10 match rating while adding that the Magpies star “cannot be ignored” because he was “everywhere” for Italy.
Calcio Mercato also outlined that Tonali was the only one whose passes threatened the Bosnian defence, and also acknowledged that he was the only one to succeed in the “lottery” of the shootout.
Tutto Sport took a similarly sympathetic view towards the midfielder’s display, as they noted that his performance dipped from the semi-final against Northern Ireland, but also added that he put “so much heart” into the game.
Tonali display doesn’t help Newcastle cause
Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson recently told Football Insider that Newcastle could accept £80million for Tonali this summer to ensure that they comply with UEFA’s financial rules.
The Magpies are facing a battle to keep hold of their star man this summer, with both Manchester clubs taking an interest in him, while Juventus are also leading the charge to sign him in Italy.
Howe will have been delighted to see his player perform well on the international stage once again, but with a long-term view, the fact that he has emerged with credit arguably doesn’t help Newcastle’s cause.
Tonali’s reputation will likely increase again as a result of the sympathy that he has received following his country’s failure, as it has been plain to see the level of heart and spirit that he plays with.
That will surely only drive Serie A interest for his signature up even further, which certainly will not help Newcastle’s bid to keep hold of him for next season.
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