Roy Hodgson sympathises with Newcastle over Sandro Tonali betting investigation
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson “feels sorry” for Saturday counterpart Eddie Howe (Martin Rickett/PA)
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson admitted he “feels sorry” for opponents Newcastle, who could lose summer signing Sandro Tonali to a lengthy ban depending on the outcome of an investigation into alleged betting offences.
Eddie Howe on Friday confirmed his midfielder, who joined in a £55million move from AC Milan this summer, would be available for Saturday’s contest, where the injury-plagued Eagles will be boosted by the return of several key players.
While Hodgson initially claimed not to have “any reaction at all” to the news Tonali could feature, he subsequently expressed some empathy surrounding the situation still unfolding at St James’ Park.
Newcastle summer signing Sandro Tonali could face a lengthy ban over alleged betting breaches (Richard Sellers/PA)
He said: “It’s nothing to do with me. One way or the other, I feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for Newcastle facing this situation.
“It must be a bitter blow to sign somebody that you believe in as much as they obviously do believe in Sandro Tonali, and then to find after paying a lot of money that maybe you can’t use him for a long period of time.
“That must be a very difficult situation for Eddie Howe and [sporting director] Dan Ashworth, for the club to deal with. But it doesn’t affect us one way or the other, if Newcastle want to play him then good luck to him. If they decide they don’t, then that’s their decision.”
Howe has already vowed that Tonali, who is subject to investigation by the Italian Prosecutor’s Office and Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in relation to illegal betting activity, has a future at his club.
Plans are in place for the Premier League
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