Tottenham’s record signing Sandro Tonali impressed for Italy in a statement win over France, showing that he is a player capable of stepping up in big games.
Sandro Tonali’s time at Tottenham Hotspur has not exactly been plain sailing, with the midfielder having moments where he has shown his value as well as a few moments of struggle.
However, the last few weeks, especially Spurs’ winning run in October, stand out as some of his best moments in a Tottenham shirt, with his partnership with Mateus Fernandes pivotal to the Lilywhites’ success.
Spurs will want to see those performances more consistently over the rest of the season, and the midfielder’s display for Italy suggests that Tonali is finally starting to find some consistency.
Tottenham’s Sandro Tonali stars as Italy beat France
Tonali lined up against France and found himself on the winning side as Italy beat Les Bleus 3-1 in their UEFA Nations League A Group 1, Round 5 clash.
That victory leaves Italy top on ten points, level with France, but with a superior goal difference of five.
Italy do have Tonali to thank for their victory, as he was one of the top performers. The Tottenham man was rated 7.3 by FotMob after operating as the holding midfielder in a three-man midfield.
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His stats show just how pivotal he was for Italy, with eight defensive contributions, the most of any midfielder on the pitch. He also showed his ability to dictate the tempo, completing 25 of his 28 passes.
Despite being the deepest midfielder, he managed two passes into the final third and played four line-breaking passes.
Defensively, he made five clearances, including two headed clearances, as well as two interceptions and one recovery.
Tonali shows he can turn up on the big stage
The Italian’s latest display will surely leave De Zerbi impressed, especially considering the opposition he came up against.
France are one of the best national sides in the world at the moment, and for Tonali to impress in the centre of the park against the likes of Rayan Cherki and Adrien Rabiot shows that he can turn up on the big stage.
Spurs have performed well against the big six this season, drawing with Manchester United and beating Chelsea, and Tonali was impressive against both sides.
December, though, will see Tottenham face all of the current top four, and De Zerbi will need the midfielder fit and firing.