According to a report, Sandro Tonali has admitted to the prosecution that he bet on AC Milan matches while he was a member of the team.
The Newcastle player was questioned by the prosecutor’s office in Turin for about three hours, and according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he admitted to them that he had gambled on football games, especially Milan-related contests.
That acknowledgment makes things more difficult. Tonali maintains he didn’t wager on Milan games when he was playing, and if this allegation is upheld, he won’t be punished with match-fixing because his influence would not have affected a game.
However, the fact he gambled on his own team could result in a ban longer than three years from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) prosecutor.
Tonali has also declared that he suffers from a gambling addiction, which means part of his punishment could be diverted to mandatory therapy sessions.
The Italy international will hope to receive a similar punishment to Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, who was sentenced to a seven month ban plus a fine and therapy.
The FIGC prosecutor’s office is not the only body looking into Tonali’s bets, though, as there is also a criminal investigation into his activities on the illegal gambling platform.
The 23-year-old risks a substantial fine for using unauthorised betting websites. Investigators will be able to compare what he said in his statement with what they found on his mobile phone and tablet, which were confiscated.
As well as Tonali and Fagioli, Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo has also been implicated in the betting scandal and faces a similar punishment.
