Tonali returns for Italy in Nations League after gambling ban

Sandro Tonali has returned to the Italy set-up for upcoming Nations League matches with France and Israel after serving a gambling ban which cost him a place at Euro 2024. 

Newcastle United midfielder Tonali was hit with a 10-month suspension in October last year for betting on football matches, including those involving his old team AC Milan while he was still playing for them.

That ban cost Tonali the chance to play a part in Italy’s awful Euros title defence in Germany, where the Azzurri were dumped out in the last 16 by Switzerland.

The 24-year-old was selected two days after he made his first appearance since the ban, in Newcastle’s penalty shootout win over Nottingham Forest in the League Cup.

While coach Luciano Spalletti has Tonali newly available, he will be without Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella who will undergo an operation to resolve problems with his sinus.

Federico Chiesa, who on Thursday signed for Liverpool from Juventus, was not selected, while Leicester defender Caleb Okoli and Atalanta midfielder Marco Brescianini get their first full call-ups.

In League A2, Italy face France in Paris next Friday before travelling to Budapest to take on Israel on September 9.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG).

Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Alessandro Buongiorno (Napoli), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal/ENG), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Caleb Okoli (Leicester City/ENG), Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG).

Midfielders: Marco Brescianini (Atalanta), Nicolo Fagioli (Juventus), Davide Frattesi (Inter Milan), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Samuele Ricci (Torino), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United/ENG).

Forwards: Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio Rome).