In a recreation that sums up precisely why Newcastle United pushed so onerous to qualify for the Champions League final season, Eddie Howe’s aspect will play host to Barcelona underneath the lights at St James Park on Thursday evening.
Newcastle vs Barcelona workforce information
While the sport represents fairly the spectacle, it additionally represents the prospect for Newcastle to safe back-to-back wins for the primary time this season. The Magpies edged previous Wolverhampton Wanderers final day trip within the Premier League, courtesy of a debut aim from Nick Woltemade. Now, the towering striker will probably be trying to make it two from two in opposition to one of many greatest golf equipment that European soccer has to supply.
The German is prone to obtain one other begin too, on condition that Yoane Wissa remains to be on the sidelines following his damage within the latest worldwide break. As for the remainder of the Newcastle squad, Jacob Ramsey is the one different damage concern that Howe has to cope with in one other blow for one of many Magpies’ summer season arrivals.
It is set to be some problem that lies forward of Howe’s aspect, however one which he has welcomed with open arms even with out Ramsey and Wissa on Thursday night.
“For me, it’s a magical recreation. It’s the kind of recreation that you just’re determined to be part of and determined to hopefully characterize the membership rather well in. That’s our problem.
“After all, there are connections with Sir Bobby that we totally embrace. That’s what makes it such a particular factor.”
In quest of three factors to get their Champions League marketing campaign underway, Newcastle have already been handed a lift by Barcelona’s personal damage information. The Spanish giants have travelled with out star man Lamine Yamal, who missed a 6-0 thrashing of Valencia final day trip by way of a groin damage.
Supervisor Hansi Flick was left sad with Spain after the 18-year-old got here again from worldwide responsibility with the damage, telling reporters: “Lamine already went to the nationwide workforce in ache. He took painkillers and performed with the nationwide workforce in ache.
“He had issues, and performed 79 and 73 minutes. That is not taking care of the gamers. The Spanish nationwide workforce has the very best gamers on the earth, however we must be taking care of the professionals. Additionally the younger gamers.”
Newcastle predicted line-up (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier; Schar; Burn; Livramento; Tonali; Guimaraes; Joelinton; Elanga; Woltemade; Gordon
Barcelona predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Garcia; Kounde; Garcia; Cubarsi; Martin; Casado; Pedri; Raphinha; Fermin; Rashford; Lewandowski
Newcastle vs Barcelona H2H & latest outcomes
With out a defeat all season and coming in off the again of a 6-0 defeat of Valencia, standing in the best way of Flick’s Barcelona machine won’t be a straightforward job for Newcastle. However the Spanish giants aren’t with out their weaknesses.
They ultimately noticed their Champions League run come to an finish amid defensive frailties final season and people frailties are nonetheless there for all to see. The Catalan membership conceded twice in opposition to Levante in a 3-2 victory and had been held to a 1-1 draw by Rayo Vallencano final month. So, as scintillating as they’re going ahead, Barcelona are susceptible going the opposite approach.
It is Woltemade that would exploit that, too. At 6’6, the German will tower over all of Barcelona’s backline and that is the route that Newcastle should take in the direction of aim. Be it from set items or from open play, focusing on the ahead in addition to tall centre-back Dan Burn is how the Magpies may snatch a shock victory right here.
In the case of kind, Howe will probably be hoping that Newcastle have turned a nook after defeating Wolves. Earlier than final weekend’s victory, Newcastle had gone three video games with out three factors.
Judging any head-to-head report between either side could not present an correct prediction, both. The final time that Newcastle performed Barcelona got here in 2003, when the Spaniards picked up a 2-0 victory in Tyneside. In the meantime, the three video games earlier than that got here in 2002 and 1997, which featured only one Newcastle victory.
The chances even have Barcelona because the slender favourites at 13/10, with Newcastle not far behind that value at 7/4 and a draw at 13/5, establishing a highly-anticipated affair.
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Barcelona
