Eddie Howe’s team has had a fantastic start to their Champions League campaign.
Newcastle United earned their first points of the Champions League season against Paris Saint-Germain, and journalist Ben Jacobs has now lauded one aspect of the team for their continued success while speaking to GIVEMESPORT.
The Magpies are now top of their European group following their goalless draw against AC Milan in their continental opener.
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Eddie Howe and his Tyneside-based squad’s heroics in the 2022/23 season earned them a return to the Champions League, a league they had not competed in for two decades.
Luis Enrique’s team was no match for Howe’s high-flyers, as they were overpowered in every way as the latter won 4-1. Goals from Miguel Almiron, Fabian Schar, and Newcastle-born duo Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn were enough for Kylian Mbappe and his colleagues to walk away empty-handed from St. James’ Park.
It was a surprise result, but it just goes to show what a strong force Newcastle have become under Howe’s direction.
Domestically, however, it hasn’t been nearly as fruitful. The Premier League is far from over, with the club now sitting in eighth place with four victories from seven games. To assist with this, Howe and his team will rely on their summer signings to deliver.
In line with their on-pitch coherence, their recruitment team’s behind-the-scenes work was equally excellent. Having spent just over £130 million on new players over the summer, Sandro Tonali has been the outstanding outlay, forging a fantastic connection with Newcastle fan favourite Bruno Guimaraes just three months into his tenure.
The Italy international, who helped Milan to the Champions League semi-finals in 2022/23, cost the club £55 million, according to Sky Sports, but based on the early stages of his Newcastle career, he has been worth every penny.
Newcastle now have that ‘wow factor to attract new players – Ben Jacobs
Jacobs suggested that Newcastle have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with at the pinnacle of club football. He believes that St. James’ Park, which has always been regarded as a fortress, will prove a tricky place for some of Europe’s top sides to come and perform. The respected reporter also insisted that Newcastle’s pedigree among clubs has grown which, in turn, makes them a more attractive prospect to join. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:
“In the Champions League, they’re not only going to be hard to beat at home, but any player watching that atmosphere, not just the game and the win, but the atmosphere will say ‘Wow’. And we see this at some other clubs, if you think about some of the great clubs, regardless of what they win, I think everybody gets goosebumps walking into a stadium like the San Siro, everyone sees the yellow wall at Dortmund and realises how incredibly unique it is.
“Some people walk into the likes of Old Trafford or other Premier League stadiums and because they’ve seen them since birth, and they’re iconic, again, it has that kind of wow factor. And I think that this is what last night did. It showed Europe’s top players, what Newcastle is all about, Newcastle in its best light, fans in their best light and players in their best light. And that can make a player deciding between Newcastle and another club think, wow, I’ll be worshipped if I join this football club.”
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