- Eddie Howe's first UCL experience
- Newcastle arrive late in Milan
- Play on Tuesday evening
WHAT HAPPENED? As Newcastle United play in the Champions League for the first time in almost 20 years, manager Eddie Howe has revealed that this will be the first he will be watching a Champions League game in person.
WHAT THEY SAID: “I’ve never attended one, I’ve been too busy working,” the manager said after his team’s heavily delayed flight from Tyneside meant his pre-match press conference had to be put back two hours until 9 pm local time. “So tomorrow night will be a proud moment.”
“The weather problems were no big issue,” Howe said. “It’s a slightly later arrival than we would have liked but we’re used to these sort of things.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Newcastle have been drawn into a 'group of death' alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and their rivals on Tuesday, AC Milan. The Magpies look set to face an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stage or even to drop down into the Europa League.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
GettyGetty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Newcastle and the Rossonerri will face off in the first game of the Champions League group stages on Tuesday. Elsewhere in Group F, PSG host Dortmund at the Parc des Princes.