Newcastle United opted not to field Sandro Tonali in Sunday afternoon’s Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland in the Premier League. The decision was made to safeguard the Italian international’s fitness, as he aims to be in prime condition to start for the Azzurri in Thursday evening’s World Cup play-off semi-final clash against Northern Ireland.
Tonali’s Absence from the Derby Explained
Concerns over Tonali’s physical condition emerged after he was substituted midway through Newcastle’s recent Champions League match against Barcelona, a game that saw them exit the competition. This incident raised questions about his availability for Italy’s vital World Cup play-off campaign scheduled during the current international break.
Fortunately, reports originating from Italy suggest positive news, indicating that Tonali will be fit for selection by Italy’s coach, Gennaro Gattuso. Despite this, Newcastle took a cautious approach, choosing to rest the former AC Milan midfielder for their Premier League encounter with fierce rivals Sunderland on Sunday.
Tonali was not even listed among the substitutes at St. James’s Park. Although he was present in the stands, the latest information confirms that the decision to exclude him from the squad was purely a precautionary measure to avoid any potential aggravation of a minor issue.
Tonali is widely expected to be a key part of the Italian squad that will host Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo this Thursday evening. The winner of that tie will advance to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in a single-leg play-off final, with a coveted spot in the final tournament at stake.
Italy faces the imperative task of winning both these fixtures if they are to avoid missing out on the World Cup for what would be the third consecutive tournament cycle.