Sandro Tonali needs only 6 minutes: already in goal with Newcastle

Within minutes of his absolute debut, there was the first goal.

Sandro Tonali and Newcastle are off to the best start on their adventure together. The director who has just landed from AC Milan in the deep north of England made his Premier League debut against Aston Villa on Saturday and wet his first game in the English top league with a goal after just six minutes of play.

Tonali, deployed as a starter by his new coach Eddie Howe with the trusty number 8, unlocked the score by collecting a cross from the wing by Anthony Gordon and exploited it in the best possible way. Indeed, his insertion into the box with a precise acrobatic finish, on which the Aston Villa goalkeeper could do nothing. The latter, Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez, also trembled two minutes later when the ex-Milanista also went within a step of doubling the score.

“AC Milan announces that it has sold outright, the right to the sports performance of the player Sandro Tonali to Newcastle United FC. The club thanks the midfielder for the three splendid years lived together and wishes him the best personal and professional satisfactions,” had been the statement with which the Rossoneri club had greeted him in early July.

Tonali is not the first Italian footballer to wear the Newcastle shirt (before him there had been Alessandro Pistone, Pepito Rossi, Fabio Zamblera, Davide Santon and Antonio Barreca), and he might not even be the last. In fact, the Magpies have reportedly also set their sights on Nicolò Zaniolo: the former Inter and Roma man could leave Galatasaray this soccer session.