Beyond his club commitments, Tonali is heavily focused on the Italian national team's crucial fixtures at the end of March. They take on Northern Ireland in what may be the first of two play-off games as they look to avoid a repeat of their 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualifying disasters. Tonali is embracing the tension, however, stating that arriving at these pivotal matches in peak physical and mental condition is the true beauty of international football.
"It will be one of the most important matches for us, we have to play perfectly. There's pressure, but I take the positive aspect and that's the beauty of football: we have to get to that moment at 100% and play as we know how," he added.
The appointment of Gennaro Gattuso as Italy manager has been a major positive for Tonali, who grew up idolising the former AC Milan enforcer. "We had dinner in London, we had a great time because we hadn't seen each other since November: it's always nice to get together for a moment outside of football," he said of the Azzurri boss. "We had fun, we talked about many things. It was a different moment than usual.
"I think he was the person who was able to instill a lot in me, even when I didn't know him. When he played, for example, I took from him what I liked. Getting to know him allowed me to connect with a genuine person, who, if he needs to tell you something, takes half a second. And that's very good for us: we need people who tell us things to our faces and who can hit us in the face when things aren't going well. We've met a coach who has given us so much, who is giving us so much, and who will give us so much more. Not only that, he and his staff will give their all to achieve that goal."