BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali was forced off injured in the Champions League against Barcelona on Wednesday, eight days before Italy’s World Cup qualifying play-off slot begins.
Tonali appeared to injure his left thigh chasing down Fermin López and played the ball into the corner.
Early in the second half, the score was 4-2, when Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski scored a header from a corner kick, sealing the Spanish champions’ place in the quarter-finals. After drawing 1-1 with Newcastle last week, Barcelona quickly found themselves leading 6-2 at the Camp Nou.
Tonali is a promising starter for Italy as the four-time champions aim to qualify for their first World Cup since 2014.
Italy host Northern Ireland at Bergamo’s Atalanta Stadium on March 26, with the winner facing either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina five days later.
The winner of the playoff bracket will be placed in the same World Cup group as co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
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