• Sandro Tonali’s lawyers had been negotiating with prosecutors this week
• The Newcastle star started in the club’s Champions League tie on Wednesday
• Tonali’s admission of guilt is believed to have helped him to reduce the ban

Newcastle star Sandro Tonali has been banned from football for 10 months for illegal betting, the Italian FA has announced.

The midfielder will be ruled out for the rest of the season after reaching a plea bargain, with his lawyers having negotiated with prosecutors and the Italian football federation this week to finalise details of the ban.

Italian FA chief Gabriele Gravina confirmed an agreement had been reached for a 10-month ban, including eight months of therapy, and praised Tonali’s collaboration in the process.

‘An agreement has already been reached between the Federal Prosecutor’s Office and Sandro Tonali, which occurred before the referral, therefore it must be endorsed by the undersigned, which I have already done,’ Gravina told reporters.

‘A plea bargain is envisaged for 18 months of which 8 months is activity recovery, some concerns therapeutic activity and at least 16 face-to-face meetings as testimony.

‘A plea bargain is foreseen, mitigating circumstances are foreseen, the boys collaborated beyond belief, so we continue to respect the rules we have set for ourselves.’

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