Paulo Di Canio slams ‘stupid’ Sandro Tonali and claims players ‘must be empty’ to bet on football with the Newcastle star set for suspension after ‘admitting to betting on AC Milan’ while at the club

Paulo Di Canio has labelled those wrapped up in the Italian football betting scandal ‘stupid’ for betting on the game.

Sandro Tonali is among those being investigated as part of the scandal and has reportedly admitted to betting on AC Milan games while with the Rossoneri. 

The Newcastle midfielder’s lawyers will reportedly try to negotiate a plea bargain in Rome and he could face a year on the sidelines.  

Di Canio, who won Serie A with AC Milan in 1996, vented about the situation on Italian television. 

‘There are a million things they could do. [Bet on] cats, dogs, hamsters. I am not suggesting anything. Of course, it would be better not to gamble at all. Did you bet on football? You must be empty. This is stupidity. You must be stupid,’ Di Canio told Sky Sport Italia, via Football Italia. 

Sandro Tonali is among those being investigated by the Italian authorities in the scandal

Tonali featured off the bench in Newcastle’s 4-0 rout of Crystal Palace over the weekend.

Eddie Howe made the 23-year-old walk ahead of his team-mates in their post-match lap of honour.

He said: ‘It sort of came to me when we were doing our walk that I wanted him to be at the front, to see the love closer up. So it’s a big thank you from me to our supporters. That reception at the end was incredible and it was emotional.

‘Sandro is going through an incredibly emotional time and the supporters reacted how I hoped they would. I could feel the love between him and them and that will do him the world of good, he’ll feel much better.

‘The hardest part is ahead, but it’s great for him to know he’s got the support of the senior management and the supporters, they’re the most important.’

La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote that Tonali ‘self-reported’ and was heard by the Italian Football federation (FIGC) Prosecutor as he seeks help to treat a gambling addiction.

Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagiolo received a seven-month ban for illegal betting having reached a plea bargain with prosecutors.

Aston Villa loanee Nicolo Zaniolo is also being investigated and was made to leave Italy’s training camp alongside Tonali during the international break. 

The midfielder was one of the first names to be linked with the Italian football betting scandal

Tonali’s lawyers will reportedly try to negotiate a plea bargain in Rome after he reportedly admitted to betting

Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo has also been quizzed over his involvement in the betting claims

The rules on betting are strict in Italy with athletes banned from betting on their own sports.

Anyone found guilty of breaching them could be hit with worldwide suspensions of up to three years.

Newcastle face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday night and are top of their group after two games with four points.