Sandro Tonali makes his feelings very clear

Alongside Alexander Isak and Lewis Hall, Sandro Tonali has been perhaps the best player in a black and white shirt this season.

The Italian midfield maestro has been nothing short of spectacular since his return from suspension back in August, with his recent winner against Brentford starting a serious conversation about Tonali being one of the top midfielders in the world at the moment.

But as well as he and the squad have been performing this season, Tonali has urged his teammates to focus on securing Champions League football for next season, not only for themselves but also for the fans.

Champions League “massive” for the club

Speaking to the press yesterday, Eddie Howe reiterated just how important securing UCL football is for Newcastle, adding that it was a "massive" factor in helping us attract Tonali back in the summer of 2023.

When Newcastle signed the Italian, he was just a few months removed from playing in a Champions League semi-final for his boyhood club AC Milan against city rivals Inter, and having missed out on some key games in the wake of his suspension, he will be a player itching to return to the peak of continental football.

If Champions League football was enough for even a financially-restricted Newcastle to acquire Tonali, it will be key again this season not only to bring in new talent, but retain big stars and names currently on the club’s books.

Tonali: “Every player wants to play in the Champions League”

Tonali was interviewed recently about his and his teammates’ ambitions following on from the Carabao Cup triumph, and it’s fair to say the Champions League sits high on his list of priorities.

"I think about the Champions League, but it's normal. I wake up the morning and think about coming back in the Champions League, not for a comeback in the Europa League or going to the UEFA Conference League. Every player wants to play in the Champions League.”

"We need to push every game because we have a solid team, we have a great team and we need to win, we need three points every week. But we can do everything with this team, with these fantastic players."

Tonali: Toon must kick on after trophy

Though Newcastle may have already won one cup final this campaign, the mentality at the club is treating the next nine league games as fixtures of equal importance and value.

And Tonali has urged his teammates to capitalise on the momentum from March’s triumph over Liverpool to take one of the five allocated Champions League spots and truly earn them for themselves and the fans.

"Yeah, I think I'm happy for the trophy but the trophy was the last week. Now we need to think about a new week.”

"The trophy is the trophy but now we think only of the Champions League and not the Carabao Cup. We need to think every week, every game to win and only play for three points and get back in the Champions League for these fans"

"All the people here deserve the Champions League because it’s the best tournament in Europe. And if you play Champions League, then you know like last season in the first game with Paris Saint-Germain, the stadium here was magic.

"The Champions League is the Champions League and it's difficult to play one game similar. This team deserves the Champions League for the next season but we need to play. We need to push heavily every game, every day, every week."