Sandro Tonali was deliberately kept out of Newcastle’s Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland on Sunday. This decision was made to ensure the Italy international’s full fitness for his national team’s critical World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland, scheduled for this Thursday evening.
Tonali’s early withdrawal from Newcastle’s recent Champions League match against Barcelona had initially sparked concerns about his availability. However, reports from Italy indicate he is expected to be fit for Roberto Mancini’s squad, prompting Newcastle to take a precautionary approach for the highly anticipated derby clash. He wasn’t even named among the substitutes at St. James’s Park, though he was present in the stands. This decision was confirmed to be purely for precautionary reasons.
Tonali is anticipated to play a key role for Italy as they host Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final in Bergamo. The victor of that match will advance to face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina away in a single-leg final, with a coveted spot in the final tournament at stake. Italy faces immense pressure, needing to win both fixtures to avoid missing out on the World Cup for a third consecutive cycle.
