‘We belong’ - Dan Burn’s spine-tingling message that Newcastle United fans will love ahead of Barcelona clash
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Newcastle United v Barcelona: Dan Burn has sent a spine-tingling message to supporters ahead of today’s Champions League opener.
Newcastle United’s Champions League campaign gets underway in a matter of hours when they host Barcelona at St James’ Park. The Magpies will welcome the reigning Spanish champions to Tyneside with hopes of creating another memorable European night.
Two years ago, they defeated PSG 4-1 on their first home match back in the Champions League for two decades. That night ranks among the very best that St James’ Park has ever seen, rivalling their 3-2 triumph over , coincidentally, Barcelona way back in September 1997.
Harnessing the atmosphere of St James’ Park will be key if the Magpies want to progress out of the league phase and into a Champions League knockout stage for the first time ever. To do that, they will have to string together results, not just one-off victories, to ensure they finish in the top 24 and avoid elimination at the first stage.
Dan Burn’s pre-Barcelona message
A lot of those in attendance at St James’ Park tonight will have memories of previous games against Barcelona - and of course that famous win over PSG two years ago. Dan Burn, who played in that match against the Parisians, will likely start tonight and be one of eleven men hopeful of creating yet more precious European memories on Tyneside.
Burn, though, echoing the statements of his manager and captain on Wednesday as they addressed the media, believes Newcastle United are better prepared to deal with the demands of Champions League football this time around - and is targeting bigger success than simply just sharing a pitch with some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
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Writing in the matchday programme, Burn noted: ‘Now, perhaps more so than two years ago, we know we belong on this stage and we have a better understanding of what to expect as we come up against elite teams from all over Europe.
‘It’ll be no less exciting; the occasion will be just as big. When I cast my mind back to that first home game in this competition for two decades against Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, how electric the atmosphere was and how buzzing the city was, I hope it’s exactly the same tonight.
‘But I believe we’re more prepared for it now, both psychologically and with the depth of our squad. It’ll be tough, with weekend and midweek games pretty much all the way through until Christmas, but I think we’ve got a squad this time that is equipped to cope with that.
‘And, of course, the Champions League has a different format now, which gives us a real opportunity to progress.’
The reformatted Champions League league phase, one Newcastle United will be competing in for the first time this season, requires them to finish 24th or above following all eight league phase games to avoid elimination from the competition. Finishing between first and eighth will guarantee their passage straight into the last-16 stage, whilst finishing between 9th and 24th will mean an extra knockout play-off game. Who they play in the next round, if they reach that stage, will be determined by finishing positions in the league phase.