De Zerbi raises Italy concern over Tonali fitness ahead of international break
Quick summary
Italy head coach Roberto De Zerbi has expressed concern about Sandro Tonali's condition, casting doubt on the Newcastle midfielder's availability for the upcoming Azzurri fixtures.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceRoberto De Zerbi has confirmed that Sandro Tonali will not be available to feature for Tottenham in their EFL Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on Wednesday, which comes as a slight concern for the Italy national team, whose squad for the upcoming international break is set to be announced later this week.
Tonali ruled out of Liverpool vs. Tottenham Tottenham are due to take on Liverpool at Anfield in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, but head coach De Zerbi has confirmed that he will have to do without the most expensive Italian footballer of all-time.
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 22: Sandro Tonali of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the fans at full-time following defeat in the Premier League 2026/27 match between Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur at Gtech Community Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) Tonali ‘felt a knock’ and will not be risked against Liverpool in the cup, De Zerbi has confirmed .
The former Milan midfielder did not feature in Tottenham’s previous EFL cup fixture, a 5-1 victory over Championship side Charlton Athletic, but has started in all four Premier League matches in 2026-27 and has played the full 90 minutes in three of those fixtures.
Assuming that he is still fit enough to feature, Tonali is a nailed-on candidate to be included in Roberto Mancini’s first Italy national team squad of the season, his first since being re-appointed as CT earlier this summer.
UDINE, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Sandro Tonali of Italy warms up prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Israel at Stadio Friuli on October 14, 2025 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) The Italy national team squad is due to be announced on Friday.
There could be a return for Italy’s Destiny Udogie when Tottenham take on Liverpool on Wednesday night. The left-back did not feature in the Premier League over the weekend, and has earned just two starts so far this season, once in the league against Nottingham Forest and once in the previous round of the cup against Charlton.
Read more: Italians in the Premier League: Donnarumma the derby hero as Tonali’s Spurs misery continues
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Roberto De Zerbi, manager of the Italian national team, has voiced worry over the fitness of Sandro Tonali, the Newcastle United midfielder who has been a key figure in the Azzurri's recent plans. The update comes during the international break, with Italy preparing for upcoming fixtures. De Zerbi's concern suggests Tonali may be carrying a knock or struggling for match sharpness at club level, which could affect Italy's midfield options. The Premier League context, highlighted by the Liverpool vs. Tottenham reference, underscores the congested fixture calendar that continues to test player availability internationally.
Chance analysis
When a national-team coach publicly flags a player's condition before a camp, it usually means minutes need to be managed rather than the player being ruled out — but it does put the club and the player on alert. Tonali has been central to De Zerbi's project since the coach took the Italy job, so any absence would be felt in the engine room, where Italy have already had to balance creativity with defensive solidity. For Newcastle, the concern reinforces the delicate juggling act between club ambitions and international duty that every top Premier League side now negotiates almost weekly.
Tonali is at risk of reduced involvement or absence for Italy's next international fixture, potentially weakening the Azzurri's midfield options and prompting a cautious approach from Newcastle in managing his minutes.