Newcastle Prepares for Critical Champions League Match Against Union Saint-Gilloise

NEWCASTLE, England — Newcastle United is gearing up for a crucial Champions League clash against Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise on Wednesday. Manager Eddie Howe and midfielder Joelinton are scheduled to speak with the media ahead of the match.

Newcastle aims to regain momentum after a disappointing defeat to Arsenal, where they lost 2-1 despite leading the match for 83 minutes. Howe emphasized the need for his team to learn from that experience and not dwell on the past.

In response to criticism regarding the performance of goalkeeper Nick Pope during the Arsenal game, Howe backed Pope, stating, “It could have been one of the best performances from a goalkeeper I’ve seen, up until that point. But you have to have the perspective that his actions in that moment are trying to help us to win the game.”

Howe also addressed comments from Bayern Munich board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who labeled Newcastle “idiots” for paying a high transfer fee for striker Nick Woltemade. Howe maintained that the transfer market drives fees and expressed satisfaction with Woltemade’s performance thus far.

Newcastle has struggled to find victories recently, with only one win in their last four matches. Howe stressed the importance of securing wins quickly in the Champions League, highlighting that losing too many matches could jeopardize their chances of advancement.

Looking ahead, Howe mentioned that Newcastle will make decisions about player fatigue following their intense match against Arsenal. He confirmed that the squad is overall in good shape, aside from player Tino Livramento, who is sidelined due to injury.

Meanwhile, Union Saint-Gilloise is riding high after marking its first Champions League victory against PSV this month. The stakes are high for Newcastle as they seek to kickstart their campaign.

“We have to use the past as motivation to regroup and come back stronger,” said Howe. “This game feels significant for us, and we’re looking to capitalize on it.”