The time has finally come. Newcastle United will play their first Champions League game in twenty years on Tuesday, facing Italian giants AC Milan. With his thoughts on the team and football trivia galore, Freeman Mag has your NUFC first preview of the 23/24 Champions League tournament…
AC Milan, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza aka the San Siro
Champions League Group F: Game 1 for the Mags
Tuesday 19th September 2023, at peculiar kick-off time of 6:45PM local (5:45PM for you lot back in Blighty)
Live on TNT Sports (don’t ask)
The stadium an outstanding beast from the outside, photos and information at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Siro
Quizzy Rascal:
How many times have AC Milan won the European Cup / Champions League?’ Bonus: Name the seasons.
Football Trivia:
Remember, we are the good guys. AC Milan founder, expat Englishman Herbert Kiplin stated at their formation:
“We will be a team of devils. Our colours will be red like fire and black like the fear we will invoke in our opponents.” ‘ well, that’s just not very nice.
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Yes. This is it. The big time. And what a group to be in ‘ three heavy-weights: one each from Italy, France and Germany. Delicious.
I’ve done the San Siro before, back in 2003 to see that joyous, battling 2-2 with Shearer bagging a brace putting us 0-1 and 1-2 up against Inter Milan.
Old school BBC match report at:’BBC SPORT | Football | Champions League | Inter hold brave Newcastle
Twenty years later, twenty years older, it had to be done again, especially as this time it is against AC Milan: the Rossoneri (the red/blacks).
It’s an awesome stadium, but was a bit of a shithole back in 2003, so God knows what it is like a further couple of decades later. Whatever may be, I do just love that sense of occasion when entering a massive foreign ground. Remember your passport, though!
AC Milan v Newcastle United ‘ just let that soak in.
Anyways, about the opposition on the pitch. Milan have got a little bit of a ‘Chelsea Old Boys’ look about them. I can spot at least four on their roster: Tomori, Pulisic, Giroud and Loftus-Cheek.
Italy – AC Milan – Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos and news – Soccerway
Giroud knows his way around and through a Premier League side. He scored four in their first three games (admittedly three of them were penalties, but they were games which AC all won). He also bagged 13 in 33 games last season, which I guess is decent for Italy, as it is traditionally low-scoring.
I always rated the American Croat Pulisic (25 on Monday) and surprised Chelsea let him go. Nevertheless, he is getting plenty game time with AC after his move. Tomori might sound like a Womble of Wimbledon, but he’s an England International. Loftus-Cheek has had a stop/start career, but I always thought he was decent. He has 10 caps of his own, although none since 2018.’ For an attacking midfielder, he doesn’t seem to score much, so an ‘anytime goal-scorer’ bet is on after me typing that. What I’m saying is there is plenty Premiership experience in the Rossoneri’s ranks.
So, on to NUFC. My ‘Player Spotlight’ of this preview chose himself, as it had to be SJP new boy and ex-player of AC Milan: Sandro ‘Sandy’ Tonali. I have liked the look of Sandy since he came across to SJP. He looked fantastic in the Sela Cup games and, to me, has looked decent ever since (noting one wayward clearance does not a poor player make).
Whilst on the Sela Cup (holders: Newcastle United), why everyone who is suddenly clamouring to get into SJP could not come along and fill the lower bowl for the tournament, and once full, then help fill Level 7, I will never know.’ People say they want to get into SJP and support the team, but are not prepared to roll up and see European opposition on a balmy summer’s afternoon, with extra games thrown in as well. My only conclusion is they want to support the team, but only on their terms? Seeing the ground far from capacity on both days, I have little sympathy for ‘Johnny-come-Latelies’, or those fans who stopped going for whatever reason and now want to get back in. Harsh, perhaps, but true? Or is this something that season ticket holders with decades of loyalty home and away aren’t allowed to mention?
The debate about tickets and allocations is one for another day (I have some great ideas and also some strong opinions), but a simple ruse of offering TWO chances in the next ballot if a member bought a Sela Cup ticket might have raised attendances. Plenty of sticks and carrots to use in this digital age. I’ll do a piece on that later. For now, I agree with a lot of what is said in this piece:
Back to Sandy, anyway. I am a little disappointed he has a purported ‘muscle fatigue’, after his Saturday double gone international appearance for Italy versus North Macedonia away. Is it a ruse? He didn’t play in Italy’s Tuesday 2-1 win against Ukraine at the San Siro. And stayed sat on a strong bench, Saturday just gone versus Brentford. Will he appear on Tuesday night at his old home ground? Or is he a Bottle Job avoiding his first love and old team-mates?’ Or does he want to rest be sure to be top of his club game? Who knows? I really hope it is the latter.
Player low-light time. I said it after Man City, and people have been muttering it for weeks: Bruno has to be dropped. He’s looked slow and cumbersome for months now. He dawdles in possession, wants a foul and free-kick at the mere hint of breath on his neck, and falls over more often than newborn Bambi. A drop will be a rocket up his arse and give someone else a chance to zealously bust a gut for the team. I drafted that paragraph before Brentford and my opinion has not changed. His 97th minute yellow card would have got him a free pint in a pub league game, but as a professional was, to use technical terms: ‘fucking stupid’. That’s three yellows in five games in which he has done two halves of ‘very little’.
Right, I’m off to pack my bags. If you can: please mention to my mother that I shall not be attending dinner at her place, as I am sojourning to the country shaped like a boot; or just sing something a little catchier if you have a tune in your lungs’.
There or armchair: Enjoy the game!
PS:’ If you are going, try this:
Freeman Mag
Answer: ‘AC Milan European Cups/Champions Leagues: 7:
1962’63,’1968’69,’1988’89,’1989’90,’1993’94,’2002’03,’2006’07.
