When their beloved Magpies qualified for this season’s Champions League even the most ambitious of the Toon Army could scarcely have envisioned that their return to the top table would see them dropped into the group of death.
Sure they avoided either of the Spanish juggernauts or the rulers of Germany, but even without trips to the Camp Nou, Santiago Bernabeu or Allianz arena in their travel plans the North East’s greatest still have a scary schedule on their hands.
From Pot A they drew the French Emperors, Paris Saint-Germain, who have won a staggering 9 of the past 11 Ligue 1 titles. This trip to Princes Park was swiftly joined by a trip to the Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion, with it’s intimidating Yellow Wall and finished off by a trip to the legendary San Siro to take on AC Milan.
Whilst this draw looks like it’s throwing the magpies to pack after pack of Lions it’s also a dream return to European competition for Newcastle, after a full 2 decades confined to domestic fights. Eddie Howe will be the first manager to lead the Toon Army on a European crusade since the late, great Sir Bobby Robson.
With Howe at the helm, Europe will be descended upon by a delirious Toon Army ravenous for success after so many lean years and with this support the Magpies will hold out hope of swooping into these Lion’s dens to steal the shiny 3 points on offer in each and return the treasure to the frigid North East.
It is the fans who hold the key to Newcastle’s successful reintegration to the top table of European football. Whilst their away games will cause some trepidation amongst their ranks no fans will spark more fear into travelling fans than the Toon Army themselves.
The fear factor of their army is the biggest ace in Howe’s pack and his team have to make the most of it to deliver the full set of 3 home wins if they hope to progress to the knockout stages. Nine points from their home games added to perhaps a point or 2 on the road could be enough to see them ride into the knockout stages having finished as victors over the group of death.
Drop any points at home however, and they will face the equivalent of climbing Everest, K2 and the north face of the Eiger on consecutive days in order to qualify.
Good Luck with that….
The Football tourist 