'He's suffered' - Newcastle boss Eddie Howe addresses potential betting ban extension for Sando Tonali following FA charges

Tonali is already serving a 10-month ban for violating betting regulations in Italy. The FA charged him with misconduct due to alleged breaches of its betting rules, adding to his existing predicament. The FA alleges that Tonali, who arrived at Newcastle from AC Milan for £55m ($69m) in July, engaged in betting activities on 50 occasions between August 12 and October 12, 2023, contravening its regulations.

Speaking to reporters, Howe said: "I’ll be hugely disappointed if the ban’s extended. I certainly hope there are no further consequences for Sandro. He’s suffered, he’s sought help, he’s been very honest I think the best thing for Sandro would be to resume his career having taken his punishment and having learned a lot of lessons.”.

While Tonali must respond to the charges by April 5, Howe admitted that there's no clarity on whether the FA would sanction a fresh ban on the player but hopes that the authorities would be lenient.

"I would say at the moment that’s a hope, but we don’t have specific clarity,” said Howe.

The manager emphasized that Tonali's challenges persisted even after his move to England, urging people to view his situation empathetically and address the root cause rather than resorting to punitive measures.

“We certainly hope strongly for Sandro that will be the case. The FA charges were no surprise to us. Sandro, from day one, cooperated and was very honest with the authorities about what he’d done and the issues that he had. He’s seeking help on a regular basis.

“Sandro’s illness didn’t stop when he moved from Italy to England; people should look at it that way, not: ‘Let’s throw the book at him and let’s punish him even further.’ I don’t think that gets to the root of the problem.

"If this was associated with another form of illness I think there’d be a lot more sympathy and understanding. You can’t quantify how much we’ve missed him. If the ban was extended we’d still be feeling that pain and so would Sandro because he wants to play football. He’s in a good place, doing well off the pitch and I think he should be allowed the chance to move forward with his career.”

Tonali's existing ban extends until August, stemming from his breach of FIGC rules prohibiting players from betting on football events organized by FIGC, UEFA, and FIFA. Additionally, he received a fine of 20,000 euros (£17,380).

Despite the setbacks, Tonali remains permitted to train alongside his Newcastle teammates despite being barred from competitive play. The young midfielder made 12 appearances for Newcastle before he was hit with the suspension.