At the end of the 2023/24 season, Newcastle United were dealt a cruel blow when Manchester United defeated Manchester City to lift the FA Cup.
The Red Devils finished eighth in the Premier League, and would not have played in European competition had victory over their rivals at Wembley not rolled out the red carpet toward the Europa League.
This came at the expense of Eddie Howe’s Magpies, who had battled hard despite a startling number of injuries across the season to finish seventh. Their European place was lost.
And now it is back, and what better way for Newcastle to begin their Champions League campaign than against Barcelona, one of the most historic teams on the continent?
At St. James’ Park, a cauldron of ear-splitting noise, anything can happen. And Howe will have drilled into his players a belief that they can indeed win.
All will need to be at the races, and there will be confidence in Nick Woltemade’s ability to build on last weekend’s goalscoring debut appearance in black and white.
Nick Woltemade's fast start at Newcastle
Newcastle failed to escape their group in 2023/24, but it was a tough group, and United’s campaign was strewn with misfortune and contentious decisions.
This time, Howe and Newcastle are more experienced, with the manager remarking that his side are “arguably stronger” than they were two years ago, even having sold Alexander Isak to Liverpool for a £125m fee on transfer deadline day.
Woltemade fills big boots, but his game-winning goal against Wolves on Saturday shows he’s up to the task, all right, not just scoring but producing a dynamic display which proves he, too, can serve Howe as a multi-faceted forward.
Minutes played
68′
Goals
1
Touches
20
Shots (on target)
3 (1)
Accurate passes
8/9 (89%)
Key passes
1
Tackles
3
Ground duels
5/7
Aerial duels
3/4
The 6 foot 6 star belies his lofty frame with a deftness of touch and technical command of a nimble, shifty striker. Isak was also big and boisterous, but silky and agile too, and while they differ as forwards, it’s clear that Woltemade has the tools to emulate his predecessor on Tyneside.
A standout showing against La Blaugrana would help him toward that reputation, to be sure.
However, Woltemade is only 23 and still settling into a new environment. The German will start in the absence of the injured Yoane Wissa, but he will need his teammates to step up and help him perform – and who better to inspire the troops than Bruno Guimaraes in the middle of the park?
Bruno Guimaraes could be Newcastle's talisman
At Newcastle, Isak wasn’t just an elite goalscorer, but a striker whose skillset was disproportionately greater than his positional role demanded.
That is why he was sold for a British-record fee, having been a title-winning talisman for the Toon last season. Now, Guimaraes appears to be stepping up, becoming an even brighter leading light than before, and in a different way to the Sweden striker.
Against Liverpool, Newcastle were defeated, but the Brazilian midfielder was hailed for his effort, winning seven duels, making three tackles and nodding home United’s first of two strikes.
It hasn’t been a characteristically imperious start to the season for Guimaraes, but he’s a perennially athletic number eight whose completeness has been freed up by the form of Sandro Tonali in a deeper-lying berth.
The 27-year-old loves Newcastle, and his energy and passion permeate across the pitch. It is for this reason he wears the armband, and he matches his intensity with a technical level that has led to interest from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, and a ward-away price tag of £100m.
According to data-driven platform FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes, the top 2% for through balls and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90.
Guimaraes’ passing and vision provide the root of Woltemade’s potential against the La Liga champions. The South American has been described as an athletic “machine” by Newcastle blogger Thomas Hammond, with his impressive 7.5 ball recoveries per Premier League match this term a testament to that.
If Woltemade fails to show up, or indeed is nullified by a strong Barcelona backline, it will damage Newcastle’s chances, but it won’t negate them.
However, Guimaraes’ ability to stand up and perform in the midfield battle will be vital for Howe’s side, and if he manages to replicate the passion and desire that was on show against Liverpool last month, there’s every chance that Newcastle will pull off one of their great European nights on Tyneside.
Guimaraes is the complete package, and, in the prime of his career, will be determined to make this a season to remember for United, having tasted success in the Carabao Cup last year.
Newcastle have qualified for the Champions League across two of the past three seasons, bookending a year that frustrated the club and left them adrift from continental football after Man United shocked a few at Wembley.
Still. Howe and his outfit have shown a remarkable ability to overcome adversity and work their way toward a nailed-down position among the biggest hitters that the Champions League has to offer.
A big performance against Barcelona would rubber-stamp their position, and if Guimaraes is on his A-game, Newcastle might just do it.
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