SUSPENSION RISK: JOELINTON, THIAW, AND BURN ONE YELLOW CARD AWAY FROM MISSING SECOND LEG
Newcastle face Qarabag tonight! Discover why Joelinton, Thiaw, and Burn are one card away from a ban as injury woes mount.
Three Newcastle United players are staring at possible suspensions just as the team gears up for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off first leg against Qarabag. Eddie Howe’s squad, who finished 12th in the league phase, head to Azerbaijan hoping to grab an early advantage and get closer to the last 16.
But they’ll have to do it with a patched-up lineup. Bruno Guimaraes, Yoane Wissa, Sven Botman, Lewis Miley, Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, and Emil Krafth are all out injured. Some of them might be back soon, but for now, the bench is looking thin. The last thing Newcastle needs is to lose even more players to suspension.
Right now, Joelinton, Malick Thiaw, and Dan Burn are all one yellow card away from missing a game. Three yellows before the quarter-finals means you’re out for a match. Joelinton’s been walking that line since the 4-0 win over Union SG; he picked up bookings in both of Newcastle’s first two group games. Thiaw got his yellows against Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen. Burn was cautioned in the opener at home to Barcelona and again away at Marseille.
With a two-legged tie against Qarabag and a possible two-legged Round of 16 still to come before the slate gets wiped clean, these three and a few others need to get through four more matches without another booking if they want to avoid a Champions League ban.
There are a handful of players sitting on a single yellow as well. Another two yellows before the quarter-final, and they’re suspended too. Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Aaron Ramsdale, Joe Willock, Anthony Elanga, and Anthony Gordon have all been booked once so far this season in Europe.
For the Qarabag game, Thiaw and Burn are set to start at centre-back since Botman and Schar are both still out. In midfield, Joelinton could slot in with Guimaraes and Miley sidelined.
After missing the last six matches, including Saturday’s win at Aston Villa, Joelinton is finally back, and Howe confirmed he’ll be involved against Qarabag.
“Joelinton’s back in the squad, so that’s a great boost for us,” Howe said before the match. “He’s such an important player, a big presence, a real leader. He trained yesterday and looked really good, so we’re delighted to have him back. No one else from the injury list has travelled from the last game, so we’re still missing quite a few, and some of them are real quality players.
“They’re big losses, but our spirits are high after our last two games. We’ll put out the strongest team we can because this game is massive for us. We’re not looking ahead to the schedule; this one matters on its own.”
EDDIE HOWE CONFIRMS NEWCASTLE LINEUP SHIFTS ARE PART OF A MAJOR FUTURE STRATEGY
Eddie Howe confirms he is picking Newcastle lineups with next season in mind, trialling players like Ramsey and Woltemade early.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe isn’t pretending he’s already thinking about next season. People have been saying Kieran Trippier is close to triggering a payment if he plays more games, so that might influence whether he features again before the season ends. But Howe brushed that off and said he’s making his decisions purely for football reasons.
Talking to reporters at the City Ground about why Anthony Gordon was missing, Howe admitted he’s picking his lineup with the future in mind. Later, in his press conference, he went into more detail about focusing on what comes next at St James’ Park.
"We’re definitely looking ahead," Howe said. "You can see it in some of the choices I’m making with the team. I want to get a look at some players and see how they might grow into the squad."
One of those players is Jacob Ramsey, who came off the bench, set up Harvey Barnes with a great pass, and really changed the game. "I thought Jacob Ramsey was brilliant when he came on against Forest. He really made a difference, and so did Harvey. It’s good to see players taking their chances," Howe said.
He added, "We have to be thinking about the future now and what the team’s going to look like next year. That’s our responsibility at this point."
Before the match, Howe surprised a lot of fans by starting Lewis Hall at right-back, Nick Woltemade in midfield, and pushing Joelinton further forward than usual. Again, Howe explained he wants to see what players can do in different positions.
"It wasn’t some huge change from Brighton; we kept the same shape," Howe said. "But for Nick, this was only one of a few times he’s started in that role for us. He played alongside Will, and they haven’t had much time together either.
"There were positives for Nick, but he wasn’t involved as much as we wanted in the first half. We still need to see his best on the ball. In the second half, though, I thought we got better as a team. We attacked more and looked like a real threat as the match wore on."
MAGPIES EYE £1M BARGAIN TIAGO GABRIEL TO SOLVE GROWING DEFENSIVE INJURY CRISIS
Newcastle are leading the race against Juventus for Tiago Gabriel, the 21-year-old Serie A defensive sensation.
Newcastle United appear to be keeping an eye on Lecce’s young defender Tiago Gabriel as they consider potential options for the summer transfer window.
With Fabian Schar’s contract due to expire at the end of June, the Magpies are preparing for the possibility of his departure. Although an extension is still on the table, Schar has been sidelined since early January because of an ankle injury and doesn't seem close to making a comeback.
At 21, Gabriel has featured 36 times across all competitions this season for Lecce, who are currently four points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Newcastle’s recruitment team is among those following his development, seemingly interested in exploring a move once the transfer window opens.
Back in December, reports surfaced that both West Ham and Juventus were also tracking Gabriel’s progress. The young defender, who came through Sporting CP’s academy, has had a strong season and will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
Gabriel transferred to Lecce last January for slightly over £1 million, moving from Portuguese club Estrela Amadora. Should he leave this summer, a significantly higher fee might be expected, reflecting his rise in form.
Before joining Estrela Amadora, Gabriel had been part of Setúbal's academy after leaving Sporting in 2020. His performances have earned him regular appearances for Portugal’s Under-21 side, and senior international opportunities may not be far off.
A switch to the Premier League could potentially boost his profile substantially, but he will likely weigh his options with some care.
According to O Jogo, Newcastle continue to monitor his situation keenly as interest around the defender grows.
Regarding Fabian Schar’s future, things remain uncertain even with just weeks left on his current deal. While Kieran Trippier has been publicly confirmed to be leaving upon contract expiration, no similar announcement has come for Schar.
Last week, Howe commented on the defender’s status, noting that no definitive decision has been made yet. He emphasised Schar’s value to the team, pointing out his unique role as a ball-playing defender and his versatility in various defensive setups.
Schar’s influence on the pitch and experience are clearly appreciated, and the club hopes he can regain full fitness before the season concludes. As for any new contract talks, Howe suggested it’s a matter of waiting to see how things unfold.
