Tonali eager to lead Newcastle back into Champions League

The 24-year-old Italy midfielder struck a superb winner from a tight angle to seal a 2-1 victory over Brentford at St James' Park on Wednesday to leave the Magpies just a point behind fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand. Even a fifth-place finish could secure Champions League qualification. Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan for £55 million ($72 million) in July 2023 ahead of their last appearance among Europe's top clubs.

"I am happy for the team and happy for this win," said Tonali. "It is three points that can help us come back to the Champions League. This is a massive win for us. We need to win every game at St James' Park. "Now we play only (to be among) the first five teams, for the Champions League. It is a little bit tough, but we are lucky because there are five teams in the Champions League this season.

"The team is a little bit free, so it is much better for me and for the fans. Now we have nine finals to get back into the Champions League." Tonali returned from a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations during his time in Milan and has gradually established himself as a key figure in the team that won the League Cup last month to end Newcastle's 56-year wait fort a major trophy.

"It was a difficult season," he said. "But now I am happy to come back free, come back happy. I am a new player. I just want to help this team and these players. "The players for me are amazing and the fans are too. Everybody in Newcastle is happy. We will push 100 percent for this city." Newcastle manager Eddie How has been delighted with Tonali's emergence as a ball-playing, holding, midfielder.

"Technically, he's an outstanding player," Howe said. "Sandro, the beauty of him, he doesn't tend to try to do difficult things. Now the goal he scored (against Brentford) is incredibly difficult, but just in his general play, he makes good decisions, he doesn't over-complicate the game. "Off both feet, he's a very, very clever player, a very intelligent player."