Sandro Tonali missed Newcastle United’s defeat to Sunderland at the weekend through injury.
Sandro Tonali has returned to Italy training ahead of their huge clash against Northern Ireland.
But most importantly, the news gives Newcastle United a much-needed lift as they aim to salvage the final seven games of the season. Tonali missed Sunday’s defeat to Sunderland after suffering an injury in the upper thigh/hip region against Barcelona.
As the midfielder hobbled off the Camp Nou turf, there was genuine anxiety within the Toon ranks that he could miss the rest of the campaign. However, an MRI scan last Thursday allayed those fears and he had an outside chance of playing in the derby.
Sandro Tonali back in training
It is now understood that Tonali has returned to “meaningful” training this week. Italy face Northern Ireland tonight - a mammoth clash for Gennaro Gattuso’s side.
Gli Azzurri have not qualified for the World Cup since 2014, somewhat of a national tragedy given their history in the competition. A win at home to Michael O’Neill’s men would set up a play-off final spot with Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
All eyes from Tyneside will be tuned in to see whether Tonali - arguably Italy’s key man - appears on the team sheet. The 25-year-old has made no secret of his desire to qualify for the World Cup after years of Italian failure.
What Gennaro Gattuso said
Earlier this week, Gattuso provided a full fitness update on his squad. While he only briefly mentioned Tonali, Italian sources indicate his training intensity has stepped up in recent days.
“Sandro Tonali will train with a low workload today,” Gattuso told the media on Monday. “Guanluca Mancini has fatigue, with no issues seen after tests. Riccardo Calafiori felt a little discomfort yesterday but we hope he will be there.
“Gianluca Scamacca has an adductor problem and we evaluate him day by day, same as Alessandro Bastoni. Federico Chiesa arrived yesterday. He had a few physical problems and we decided it was useless for him to stay here.”
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Sandro Tonali’s inspiration
Tonali has previously opened up about Gattuso being the person he looks up to most in football. He said earlier this month: "I'd say Gattuso (is his biggest footballing inspiration). I think he's been the person who's instilled the most in me, even before I knew him.
“When he was playing, I took things from him that I liked. After meeting him, I've been able to connect with a genuine person, someone who, if he needs to tell you something, will tell you in a split second. And that's good for us.
"We need people who tell us things to our face and who will get in our faces when things aren't going well. We've got a coach who has given us so much, who is giving so much and will continue to give so much more. Not just him, but he and his staff will give everything they have to achieve this goal."
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