Eddie Howe has refused to rule out the possibility of Newcastle winning the Champions League this season after an inspiring chat with Kevin Keegan on Monday night.
“You have to be a dreamer,” the manager said as Borussia Dortmund flew into Tyneside for their Group F fixture at St James’ Park on Wednesday night. “My aim, and our aim, is to try and win a trophy. I’m not shy of saying that, no matter what competition we’re playing in.”
Howe met Keegan, one of his Newcastle predecessors, at a book launch in the city and did not demure when Keegan suggested his old club were capable of lifting Europe’s showpiece trophy.
“I don’t want to heap a load of pressure on my players,” Howe said. “But, if you’re in a competition, you have to try and win it.”
With Newcastle top of Group F after thrashing Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 at St James’ Park in their last Champions League fixture, Howe has cause for cautious optimism against a Dortmund side adapting to life without Jude Bellingham and recovering from the disappointment of narrowly missing out on last season’s German title.
Edin Terzic’s team are unbeaten in the Bundesliga but have only one European point, so this represents a make-or-break fixture. Howe is suitably wary. “This is a pivotal game in the group, it’s crucial,” he said. “It’s going to be a thorough examination of ourselves, a tough test. We’ve had a good start but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We’re still learning – this is only our third Champions League game.
“PSG was a massive result for us but we know Dortmund’s quality. We’ve got to take confidence from PSG but forget it. We need to recreate the level of intensity and alertness we had against PSG but it’s difficult.”
Although Sandro Tonali has trained with Howe’s squad this week, the Italy midfielder is expected to receive a lengthy ban for breaching Italian betting regulations within the next 24 hours.
Sandro Tonali training with Newcastle before news of his possible ban. Photograph: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United/Getty Images
While Howe waits to learn Tonali’s fate he has been boosted by Joe Willock’s return to fitness after a lengthy absence with hamstring and achilles injuries. Willock is expected to start on the bench and his fellow midfielder Sean Longstaff could not be more delighted.
“I could sit here all day and tell you how good Joe Willock is,” Longstaff said. “He’s so important to us. No one can do what he does with the ball in our team; we play better with him.”
Longstaff, who was too modest to discuss the growing clamour for his own inclusion in the England squad, is also a firm fan of Tonali. “It’s weird people are asking if he’s happy to be here because, from within the group, we see how happy he is, laughing and joking with everyone,” he said. “We used to talk about how good he is, then he walks through the door. It’s been a privilege to be around him and watch what he does.”
Even if Newcastle are deprived of Tonali by kick-off, Terzic is not about to underestimate Howe’s players. “They have built a great team,” the Dortmund manager said. “Newcastle, with their crowd, is an exceptional place to play and we expect a warm welcome! We need the points but we will need a very good performance.”
