Newcastle United dealt injury blow as £55m star ruled-out of San Siro return

Sandro Tonali has been ruled-out of Italy’s crucial Euro 2024 qualifier with Ukraine after suffering a ‘slight muscle injury’. According to Sky Sport Italia, Tonali will not feature for Luciano Spaletti’s side against Ukraine this evening with both teams knowing a negative result leaves their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s European Championships hanging by a thread.

Italy currently sit three points below Ukraine in the group but have a game in hand on their opponents following their disappointing draw with North Macedonia at the weekend. Tonali played 89 minutes of that match before being replaced by Giacomo Raspadori in the dying stages as the Azzurri searched for a winner.

Italy’s match against Ukraine this evening will be played at the San Siro and would have marked Tonali’s first return to the stadium he left in summer to move to St James’ Park. However, it now appears that Tonali will have to wait an extra seven days before he makes his return to the San Siro when the Magpies travel to Italy for their first Champions League group stage game against AC Milan.

The extent of Tonali’s injury is currently unknown but with Newcastle returning to action in just four days time against Brentford, there will be hopes that the 23-year-old, who has started all four of Newcastle’s Premier League matches thus far, is able to feature against the Bees. With Champions League around the corner - and Joe Willock still a few weeks away from making his return to the first-team fold - the Magpies can ill-afford Tonali to suffer a long-term injury setback.