What will Sandro Tonali bring to the Italian national team?

Returning to the Italy squad after a suspension, Sandro Tonali is expected to bring positive new energy to the midfield.

Tonali officially returns to the Italian national team

Midfielder Sandro Tonali has officially completed his suspension for illegal betting. The 2000-born player has been named by coach Luciano Spalletti in Italy’s squad for the September FIFA Days fixtures.

Recently, Tonali has been one of the most promising midfielders in Italian football. Setting aside off-field issues, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the 24-year-old is a great hope for the Azzurri. His suspension affected several of coach Spalletti’s plans for the Italian team, including those for EURO 2024.

One of the key reasons Italy had a poor tournament and were eliminated in the Round of 16 was the midfield’s inefficiency. Jorginho and Bryan Cristante underperformed and were heavily criticized following Italy’s failure.

Awaiting fresh energy from Tonali

After Italy’s disappointing EURO 2024 campaign, coach Spalletti is determined to revitalize the team for future objectives. Recently, the Azzurri head coach revealed that the team would switch to a 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 formation.

Tonali is expected to bring fresh energy to Italy’s midfield. In both of these tactical systems, the 2000-born midfielder can perform well. The Newcastle player possesses a well-rounded skill set: he can dictate the game, push forward to support attacks, and is strong in duels. During his time at AC Milan, Tonali frequently played in formations with two central midfielders. Statistics show that his ability to progress the ball is one of his greatest strengths.

In his final season with the Rossoneri, Tonali averaged seven progressive passes into the opponent’s final third per game. He also moved aggressively, often joining attacks when opportunities arose, giving his team a numerical advantage during counterattacks.

When out of possession, the Italian midfielder is not afraid to challenge opponents and press. In Serie A 2022/23, he averaged seven successful challenges per game to help AC Milan regain control of the ball.

Having a well-rounded midfielder like Tonali gives coach Spalletti more options in structuring the midfield. Most importantly, we’ll have to wait and see how the Azzurri coach utilizes his player. Of course, after a long period without competitive action, the 24-year-old will need time to regain his best form.