Sandro Tonali shone for Italy during the international break (Image: Getty)
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has welcomed a confident Sandro Tonali back from international duty, while fellow Magpies midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has been forced to shoulder heavy criticism.
Guimaraes was hauled off at half-time by manager Dorival Junior on Tuesday as Brazil were beaten 1-0 by underdogs Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier. And Selecao supporters have not been overly impressed with the 26-year-old’s international performances.
Though one Newcastle midfielder is licking his wounds, Howe can count on another who is riding high. Tonali played the full 90 minutes of Italy’s Nations League wins over France and Israel over the past week.
Contrary to Guimaraes being lambasted by his national media, Tonali has been lauded for his impact after serving a 10-month suspension for betting offences. And the 24-year-old is going the extra mile to make sure his sparkling form continues.
According to The Daily Mail, Tonali specially arranged an overnight flight back to Tyneside on Monday evening directly after Italy’s 2-1 victory over Israel.
The extra effort put in by Tonali will have given him five full days to rest, recover and psych himself up by the time Newcastle travel to Wolves on Sunday afternoon. The Magpies have made an unbeaten start to the season with wins over Southampton and Tottenham, and a draw against Bournemouth.
