Tuesday night was a big one in the career of Sandro Tonali.
The Italy international returned to former club AC Milan as a Newcastle United player for his new club’s first game in the Champions League for over twenty years.
It must have been a hugely emotional evening for the 23-year-old, who was serenaded by the home support after proving so popular during his time playing for the club he supported as a boy.
Still, it wasn’t exactly a great night for him on an individual basis.
Taken off after 72 minutes, Tonali was not at his best, albeit it wasn’t a vintage night for Eddie Howe’s team as a whole.
Interestingly, there was one on-field incident picked up by those in attendance.
What Sandro Tonali argued with Newcastle teammates and staff about
According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope at the ground, Tonali was spotted remonstrating with some of his teammates and staff as Newcastle were starting to be overrun in midfield.
“There were two occasions in quick succession last night when Ruben Loftus-Cheek ran free of Newcastle’s midfield,” wrote Hope.
“It prompted an inquest on the pitch and touchline, Tonali making the point to team-mates and staff that it was not his duty to track the Englishman.”
How well did Sandro Tonali play vs AC Milan?
It wasn’t his best night, it would be fair to say.
Hope’s match report focuses on how much Tonali struggled to make an impact in a midfield three also containing Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff, while his statistics from the game don’t make for the best reading.
As per WhoScored data, he produced only one shot, mustered one tackle, made five unsuccessful touches and did not play a key pass or make an interception. Hardly the kind of all-action performance he was brought in for.
While Tonali wasn’t the only player to have a relative off-night, the scrutiny on him is obviously greater given the context of the game.
With Newcastle’s midfield hardly firing on all cylinders at the moment, that need for a No.6 looks even more pressing now.
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