Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali returned to AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, but the game ended in a scoreless tie.
Tonali was back at San Siro, where he played 130 games over three seasons and helped establish himself as one of Europe’s finest midfielders.
In some ways, the 23-year-old’s homecoming to northern Italy was a fantasy. Tonali was praised by both sets of spectators, who screamed his name and rejoiced when his name was called as the teams were announced.
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Tonali, on the other hand, did not do as well on the field, having possibly his worst game as a Newcastle player.
Milan effectively neutralized Tonali’s threat, limiting the 15-time Italy international to only 20 touches before being substituted by Elliot Anderson after 72 minutes. No other starting player saw less time on the field.
Tonali, on the other hand, tried but was unable to participate. He engaged in six ground duels, winning only one, and losing his only aerial combat. He also committed four fouls, which was a match-high.
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While he gained possession only once, he also lost it nine times.
With a pass completion of 70%, he was not even particularly strong in possession, where he generally excels.
Tonali vs Milan
| Minutes | 72 |
| Touches | 20 |
| Passing | 70% |
| Duels won | 1/6 |
| Aerial duels won | 0/1 |
| Fouls won | 0 |
| Fouls comitted | 3 |
| Possession won | 1 |
| Possession lost | 9 |
What was Tonali’s transfer fee?
Tonali was signed by Newcastle for €64 million from AC Milan in the summer of 2023.
The St James’ Park club may be one of the wealthiest in the world, but they have always been hesitant to pay large transfer sums for players, thus Tonali was by far their marquee purchase of the summer.
Indeed, Newcastle’s cost for the Italian, who is under contract until 2028, is the second highest paid by the club, trailing only Alexander Isak.
