Mathias Jaissle Sends SHOCK Sandro Tonali Warning Ahead of Newcastle’s Spurs Clash as “Special Motivation” Claim Emerges

Newcastle United manager Mathias Jaissle has delivered an intriguing message ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Tottenham, with Sandro Tonali set to face his former club for the first time since his controversial move away from St James’ Park.

Jaissle held his Tottenham pre-match press conference on Thursday evening, just hours after Newcastle secured a 3-2 victory over West Brom in the Carabao Cup.

While much of the attention was initially focused on new signing Nico Gonzalez, who could make his Newcastle debut against Spurs, the meeting with Tonali also emerged as one of the major talking points.

Gonzalez has already trained with his new teammates and impressed the Newcastle boss enough to be considered for Saturday’s trip to London.

“He has trained with us, he looks sharp. He is an option for Saturday,” Jaissle said.

The German coach also praised the midfielder’s ability and suggested that the 24-year-old could adapt quickly to Newcastle’s system.

“He is a smart guy, with huge potential. He has a lot of qualities. He will adapt fast into our squad.”

Jaissle Refuses to Change Newcastle’s Approach

Despite facing a Tottenham side he considers a top team, Jaissle insisted that Newcastle will not abandon their attacking philosophy.

The new manager has already begun implementing his own style, with the Magpies showing plenty of energy and attacking intent during their opening competitive matches.

Newcastle began the campaign with an encouraging 2-2 draw against Liverpool before overcoming West Brom in midweek, although Jaissle has admitted there are still plenty of areas that need improvement.

“We will not change our approach. We are facing a really strong opponent. With our playing style, we can cause any opponents problems,” he explained.

Jaissle also acknowledged that Newcastle’s relatively young squad will inevitably experience some difficult moments as they adapt to his methods.

However, he remains encouraged by the players’ commitment in training and believes there is something special developing within the group.

Sandro Tonali Adds Another Interesting Storyline

Saturday’s fixture will have an added emotional edge because Tonali is now expected to come up against Newcastle for the first time since leaving the club for Tottenham in a huge £100 million transfer.

Tonali’s departure was an emotional one, making his return to face the Newcastle supporters particularly intriguing.

Jaissle, however, appeared to suggest that facing former teammates could provide Tonali with an extra incentive to perform.

“It is always nice to face old team-mates, so there should at least be special motivation,” the Newcastle boss said.

He then referenced Alexander Isak, who also faced Newcastle after leaving the club, suggesting that the emotional element of playing against former teammates can work in Newcastle’s favour.

“That worked against Isak already, so hopefully it will work for us on Saturday.”

The comment is likely to attract plenty of attention ahead of the match, particularly given the circumstances surrounding Tonali’s departure.

Jaissle Sends Message to Newcastle Supporters

Despite the obvious possibility of Tonali receiving a hostile reception from travelling Newcastle supporters, Jaissle was keen to avoid adding fuel to the situation.

Instead, he called on the travelling fans to focus their energy on supporting the current Newcastle players.

“I would love we have many, many supporters behind us in London,” he said.

“That’s the most important thing, focusing on our lads and bringing that energy on the pitch.”

Tonali left Newcastle with an emotional goodbye, and there could inevitably be a mixture of emotions when he walks onto the pitch against his former side.

For Jaissle, however, the priority is clear: Newcastle’s players and supporters must remain focused on the task in front of them.

The manager has repeatedly spoken about the importance of the relationship between the team and the supporters since taking charge.

That connection was evident during the matches against Liverpool and West Brom, and Jaissle will now be hoping the travelling Newcastle fans can create the same atmosphere in London.

With Tonali returning, Gonzalez potentially making his debut and Newcastle attempting to continue their promising start under Jaissle, Saturday’s clash with Tottenham already has plenty of storylines attached to it.

And if Tonali does receive the “special motivation” Jaissle expects, the Newcastle boss will be hoping it ultimately works in his own team’s favour.