Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali.placeholder image
Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. | Getty Images
An update on Sandro Tonali ahead of Newcastle United’s Champions League match at home to Benfica on Tuesday night.
The Magpies will be looking to build on their 4-0 away win at Union Saint-Gilloise last time out in the competition and bounce back from a 2-1 Premier League defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Benfica are unbeaten domestically but have lost their two Champions League group phase matches so far this season. The match will see Jose Mourinho return to St James’ Park for the first time since he was Tottenham Hotspur manager in 2021.
Newcastle have named an unchanged starting line-up for each of their last three matches since the Union SG win. But the quick turnaround in matches and some fitness concerns could force Eddie Howe into some changes.
Sandro Tonali concern
Sandro Tonali was a concern ahead of Newcastle’s trip to Brighton on Saturday having not trained with the first-team until Friday following international duty with Italy.
The 25-year-old then missed training on Monday morning ahead of Howe’s pre-match press conference to add to the concern over his fitness.
Tonali was withdrawn after 70 minutes in the 2-1 defeat at Brighton on Saturday having suffered a knock in Italy’s win over Israel last week.
Although Tonali has started all but one of Newcastle’s matches this season, he has barely trained with the team this month, suffering two knocks in the process. Tonali suffered a blow to his leg against Forest but was able to complete the match and was spotted holding his hamstring for Italy but again managed to play on.
With a busy fixture period and Jacob Ramsey back in contention to add to Newcastle’s midfield options, Tonali will have to be managed carefully, given his importance.
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Eddie Howe provides Sandro Tonali update
In his pre-match press conference ahead of Benfica, Howe was asked about Tonali’s absence from training and whether he was a doubt for the Benfica match.
Howe responded: “Bit of illness with Sandro so he will be touch and go for the game.
“We'll give him every opportunity but he wasn't there at training today and he's such an important player so we'll use all the hours we have.”
In addition to Ramsey, Newcastle also have 19-year-old Lewis Miley available to come into the side should Tonali not be passed fit enough to start against Benfica on Tuesday night.
Sandro Tonali update
In a fitness boost for Newcastle, Tonali was part of the arriving group of players at St James’ Park on Tuesday ahead of the Benfica match.
Tonali arrived at St James’ Park just after 6pm with Newcastle’s team news set to be announced at 6:45pm - which will officially confirm whether or not the Italian is involved.
Seven players ruled out v Benfica
Newcastle are without Yoane Wissa, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento due to injury while Jamaal Lascelles, Harrison Ashby, John Ruddy and Mark Gillespie are unavailable due to not being included in the Champions League squad.
Under-21s players Alex Murphy and Max Thompson have been drafted into the squad having been included on Newcastle’s ‘List B’ for the match.
After Benfica, Newcastle host Athletic Club at St James’ Park next month in the Champions League before trips to Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen. In January, they host PSV Eindhoven at St James’ Park before wrapping up the group phase with a trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
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