Welcome to the Newcastle vs Athletic Bilbao match preview.
Wednesday, November 5 – 8 p.m. kick-off.
Newcastle fans will be hoping for fireworks at St James’ Park this Guy Fawkes night as we host our friends from Bilbao in the Champions League.
There has been a special bond between the two clubs since the UEFA Cup tie over thirty-one years ago and this promises an exciting atmosphere as both teams look to build on an encouraging start to their European campaign.
With the two clubs still battling for qualification for the next stage, they will be desperate for three more points to boost their chances of a top eight finish.
The Toon will of course have the added incentive of putting an end to their worst performance of the season this weekend, as we look to continue our good cup form by winning four of our five cup games so far.
Form
Newcastle played three Champions League matches this season, winning two and losing one. We started the season with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Barcelona, but have since put pressure on both Union SG and Benfica. With the six points achieved, we are in eighth place in the rankings, which would guarantee a place in the next round. We have scored nine goals so far and only conceded one.
Bilbao has also played three Champions League games, winning one and losing two. They started with defeats against Arsenal and Dortmund before recording their first win at home to Quarabag last time out. Their three points put them in twenty-first place, with the teams between ninth and twenty-fourth finishing in a play-off round for qualification to the next stage. They scored four goals and conceded seven.
Last time out
Newcastle traveled to West Ham on Sunday and suffered a desperately disappointing 3-1 defeat, despite taking an early lead through a fine goal from Jacob Murphy. A jaded United performance was punished with goals from Paqueta and Soucek either side of a Botman own goal. This was by far our worst performance of the season and we got exactly what we deserved from such a miserable performance, absolutely nothing.
Athletic Bilbao traveled to Real Sociedad this weekend and were dealt a blow as they suffered a 3-2 defeat after two minutes of stoppage time. They scored two equalizers and looked good value for a draw before a late heartbreak robbed them of an away point and cost them bragging rights in the Basque derby.
State attack!
-This will be the ninth time that a Spanish team will visit St. James for a competitive match.
-Newcastle have won five home games and lost three against Spanish opposition, meaning there has never been a draw when a team from Spain visits the Toon.
-NUFC have scored in seven of their eight home games against Spanish teams, our only failure to find the net was against Barcelona in 2003.
Memorable match
In 1994/95 Newcastle reached the second round of the UEFA Cup thanks to a fantastic 10-2 win over Royal Antwerp, our reward being a two-legged draw with Athletic Bilbao. What happened on the pitch was packed with goals and drama, but the real story took place off it between the two groups of fans. At a time when England supporters were often branded hooligans, Bilbao’s Basque supporters were overwhelmed by their warm welcome from the generous Geordies, with both groups of supporters coming together, drinking and singing together in the bars across Tyneside. The Toon looked on course for a place in the next round when goals from Ruul Fox, Peter Beardsely and Andy Cole put us 3-0 ahead before the hour mark, but two late goals for our Spanish counterparts kept the tie in the balance.
Issue 65 – July 1994
Two weeks later the traveling Toon Army received the same welcome as Bilbao supporters on Tyneside as an affinity developed between the two clubs. This has gone down in history as one of our biggest European away trips ever, with supporters changing shirts in a carnival atmosphere. Sadly, a goal for Bilbao in the second half was enough to end United’s participation in the competition due to away goals, but the legacy of the draw lives on through a bond between the two groups of supporters who are looking forward to renewing their acquaintances this week. Final score 3-3 on aggregate (Bilbao wins on away goals)
Played for both
I have searched the record books and am struggling to find players who have represented both clubs. Perhaps this is due to the Spanish club’s policy of only selecting players from the Basque region. Instead, let’s take a look at some Spanish NUFC players:
Marcelino was signed by Ruud Gullit during our disastrous summer of 1999. At a cost of almost £6 million (a pretty hefty fee at the time), a lot was expected of him. Unfortunately, a variety of injuries (some more bizarre than others) limited him to just seventeen appearances for NUFC over a period of three and a half years. On the rare occasions he did dirty his boots for United, he appeared to be lacking in confidence, fitness and skill. He regularly features in the ‘NUFC Worst XI’ line-ups and it’s safe to say fans were disappointed and few tears were shed upon his departure in January 2003.
Albert Luque was again a big disappointment. Signed for big money by Graeme Souness in 2005, he was stretchered off on his debut and this set the tone for an injury-prone spell on Tyneside. Despite never making much of an impression for the Toon, Luque is immortalized in song after scoring the final goal in a memorable 4-1 win over arch-rivals Sunderland. He also opened the scoring in Shearer’s testimonial and headed home the winner in a UEFA Cup tie away at Palermo, but highlights were few and far between before he signed for Ajax in 2007.
Joselu was signed by Rafa Benitez in 2017 and has scored six league goals in two years. Perhaps the highlight of his time at Newcastle came at the start of the 18/19 season when he scored an equalizer in consecutive home games against both Tottenham and Chelsea. Unfortunately, both games ended in 2-1 defeats and Joselu’s form declined as he became our fourth-choice striker behind Rondon, Perez and Muto. He signed for Alaves in 2019 and rebuilt his career in Spain.
Managers
Eddie Howe after a 3-1 defeat away at West Ham:
“We were unrecognizable in some aspects of our game. We were better in the second half, but not great. It didn’t look like a Newcastle team. The body language, the collective spirit. We weren’t where we needed to be mentally. We’ll go away and learn from today. It could be a turning point where we could work in our favor. I could have put anyone away. It’s rare for me to feel like this. I haven’t felt like this since I became manager of Newcastle. The team needed to be shaken. It is a worry when you’re not where you want to be because you’re always in a position where you’re looking for results. We haven’t hit our rhythm in the Premier League, not consistently.
Ernesto Valverde after a 3-2 defeat against Real Sociedad:
“It was a hard-fought game from the first to the last minute. In the first half we were in control. They scored the first goal, but we responded well. In the second half they scored at the end, they were the ones who found the net. Congratulations to them and keep up the good work.”
Good cause
The Newcastle United Fan Food Bank will once again be raising money across the Gallowgate, gratefully receiving food, cash and toiletries for those in need. Of particular importance are non-perishable food and drink items (such as noodles, pasta, rice, canned food, soup, cereal, liquor, long-life milk, etc.) as well as toiletries such as shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste and sanitary products. Please give what you can, any donation is greatly appreciated.
For more information and/or to donate online, visit HERE.
Prediction
Bilbao supporters will be given a warm welcome in Newcastle this week on what promises to be a very special occasion indeed between old friends. Newcastle have looked very good in their last two Champions League matches, but Bilbao will be desperate to keep their hopes of qualification alive. I think the generosity between the fans will be matched on the pitch, with both teams satisfied with a hard-earned point from a draw. Newcastle 1-1 Bilbao
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