nEwcastle fans are traveling to Marseille with the soundtrack of uncertainty ringing in their ears. Apart from official warnings about rampant pickpocketing, street crime and possible football-related violence, their phones seem to be filled with worried messages from families and friends.
The oft-repeated exhortations to “take care”, “watch yourself” and “stay safe” in a city regularly listed as one of the most dangerous cities in Europe could, in a different context, just as easily apply to Eddie Howe’s team.
Although Newcastle arrived in the south of France on Monday after an impressive 2-1 Premier League home win against Manchester City on Saturday, and have beaten Union Saint-Gillois, Benfica and Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League, their only win since the beginning of April came at Union SG in Brussels.
Not that Howe was overly keen to discuss the psychological aspect of this motion sickness. “The Champions League is different to Premier League games,” said one manager, whose team sits sixth in the European table with nine points from a possible 12 and is almost within touching distance of automatic progression to the knockout stage. “I don’t know if you can compare them.”
Perhaps not, but he and the Newcastle players will, intriguingly, be renewing acquaintances here with familiar faces from previous English fixtures. If Marseille’s manager, Roberto De Zerbi, once of Brighton, needs no introduction, neither does Mason Greenwood.
The former Manchester United and England forward left the UK last year under a well-documented cloud. He faced charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior and assault, but the Crown Prosecution Service announced in February 2023 that the case had been closed. Greenwood is Ligue 1’s leading scorer in an attack that also includes Arsenal old boy Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Howe said, “Greenwood is a very clever attacker on the right side for Marseille.” “He’s not just a goalscorer, he’s also a goal creator. They use him in a clever way – he does his most dangerous work when he flows up the field. He combines well with the players around him and has a beautiful left foot. We have to defend well on that side of the pitch. I would say it’s a big area for Marseille to attack.”
Aubameyang’s penalty-area reflexes, meanwhile, still look very sharp. “We have said that, after watching a lot of Marseille in the build-up to the game, Aubameyang is as good as ever,” Howe said.
“At 36 that’s a big compliment to him. He’s very athletic, still running in behind, still stretching the backline, still getting away from defenders when he’s in one-on-one situations and is also a lethal finisher. His goal record here has been very good. He’s another player we have to control well.”
De Zerbi’s midfield includes England midfielder Angel Gomes, who played with Greenwood in Manchester United’s academy, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, previously of Southampton and Tottenham.
Also included is former Burnley defender CJ Egan-Riley and De Zerbi’s captain, Argentinian centre-half Leonardo Balerdi. Howe seriously considered signing Balerdi in the summer, before purchasing Milan’s hugely influential Malik Thiaw.
However, Marseille’s form in the Champions League has been mixed and their hopes of reaching the knockout stage for the first time since 2011–12 are in limbo, with De Zerbi’s side sitting second in Ligue 1, two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
After newsletter promotion
If Newcastle were buoyed by that win against City at St James’ Park, Marseille will be boosted by their 5-1 win at Nice last Friday.
The Stade Velodrome – or Orange Velodrome as it is known these days – has always offered to redefine the term “hostile venue” but part of the south stand will be closed off. It is part of the punishment Marseille were also handed a heavy fine after their supporters threw flares and projectiles and used lasers at Atalanta fans during their recent 1-0 home Champions League defeat.
The French Interior Ministry banned Ajax fans from the Stade Vélodrome before a 4–0 defeat to the Dutch side due to fears of violence in late September. Although Newcastle supporters were allowed to travel, they were subject to strict policing, including a ban on wearing club colors and avoiding the popular Old Port area of the city.
If those supporters might, for once, benefit from remaining anonymous, Howe hopes his players will show what he believes are their true colors. “Lack of continuity has been a problem,” he said. “We have played well in individual games, but we want to get that feeling back when you know you are going to perform well.
“We have had this for a long time, but for the first time since I became Newcastle manager we don’t know how we will play. To be able to do that we have to increase our confidence and these games will be a tough test for us. Marseille will be really tough but we think we can cope with the challenge.
“We have a lot of questions to answer in the next two games – here at Marseille and at Everton on Saturday.”
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