That was of course our rather farcical 1-1 (or 4-4 after a penalty shootout) draw against Olympiakos last night, which leaves us with a chance of becoming only the second side from outside Portugal to win, to give it its full name, the Trofeu Internacional de Futebol do Guadiana.
To do so we’ll have to overcome a face that should be familiar to most of us. Hugo Viana signed for us ten years ago now and stayed with us for three seasons. He was dubbed as the next Portuguese superstar and arrived at St James’ Park with a better reputation than a young Cristiano Ronaldo who cam through the Sporting Lisbon academy at the same time as Viana.
Unfortunately for Viana his career path took an entirely different route to that of Ronaldo and I would say that it’s fair to suggest he was ultimately a failure during his spell on Tyneside. That’s not to say that I don’t think it could never have worked for him, but I just think everything weighed on him and he took his time to settle and adjust even though he did show brief glimpses of quality.
Still time moves on and so must we. Viana now plays for the “other side” tonight where he has become an integral part of their team. SC Braga are in the Europa League this season and, like us, must qualify from the same round that we are in so they aren’t a poor side by any stretch of the imagination.
On our part we can expect to see come faces who were rested last night. Jonas Gutierrez, Fabricio Coloccini, Danny Simpson, Cheik Tiote and Ryan Taylor all sat out the match last night so it’s fair to assume they’ll get the nod tonight. Yohan Cabaye will have to settle for a cameo role however, and that is only if the game is going a certain way according to Alan Pardew. That “certain way” is presumably not the way that Olympiakos were going about things last night!
The game is being shown live on ESPN, making my three month free offer seem like a really good deal as I’ve now watched the last four pre-season matches without the hassle of finding an internet stream listening to it legally and above aboard. However for those who don’t have ESPN I’m pretty sure it will be available somewhere… Kick-off is at 8:45pm UK time.
Team news will be added in below as and when it becomes available.
Howay the lads!
Newcastle: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Fabricio Colocini, James Tavernier, Jonas Gutierrez, Ryan Taylor, Cheik Tiote, Sylvain Marveaux, Demba Ba, Sammy Ameobi, Papiss Cisse
Subs: Tim Krul, James Tavernier, Paul Dummett, Steven Taylor, Davide Santon, James Perch, Romain Amalfitano, Gabriel Obertan, Gael Bigirimana, Haris Vuckic, Mehdi Abeid, Shola Ameobi
Andymag, you’re right again. There again this is probably 80% of our strongest line up… 😐
Munich Mag(Quote)
ICE PUP @40 thanx for the link m8 you rescued my evening
Axel(Quote)
He’s been unspectacular but steady so far tonight. Could it be that Marveaux has finally put his injury problems behind him ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
Right what have I missed ,just spent the first half cleaning the lad up .he had a coughing fit and did his usual trick up throwing up everywhere 👿 god I hate puke .He’s dozing on the sofa now ,can’t put him to bed as just readministered his meds 🙄 got to make sure they stay down for an hour now.
Sorry too much info really .Is Tiote o.k ?
kimtoon(Quote)
MUNICH MAG i your reet i am the local i’ll keep ye right if you come , Thats the one thing i really miss living here , having a few pints with a fellow geordie and going too SJP .
Axel(Quote)
im sure the players this time last year were on the ramadam thing
the way ba cisse and tiote are playing i guess they are again … if so WE CAN NOT START ALL 3 against spurs no way
ice pup(Quote)
hope the little fellas ok kimtoon
ice pup(Quote)
@ 77
ice pup(Quote)
Axel, I’m the same mate, although there is a canny pub culture in Germany, it’s nowt like the toon 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Ice ,thanks ,he’s next to me asleep ,hopefully stays that why for at least an hour like. He got a cold 4 weeks ago and it went to his chest .He’s had 3 lots of anti biotics but still chesty ,hence the coughing fit . He never used to puke so much as he does now,it’s a new thing he’s started to do over the last year 🙁 .
He’s missing the match now poor thing. Have we been good?
kimtoon(Quote)
Get Tiote off and Bigi on before he get’s sent off 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Limp performance when you consider there is silverware to be had .. 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
kim mums can fix anything so he’s in good hands i bet
your missing nowt game wise
ice pup(Quote)
Kim its been very scrappy and Tiote will do well not to get sent off.
I hope the Lad gets rid of his cough soon as it can hang around for a while
Big Dave(Quote)
i think its time to put the mackem slayer on .
Axel(Quote)
good from tav there
andymag(Quote)
MM I have always said the same about Tiote, he is like a red card on legs, and even when he gets a yellow he still never seems to calm down 👿
Big Dave(Quote)
Axel @ 90 do you not think the game is scrappy enough 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Big D… Mr T looks like he’s been on a raw meat diet, he’s well up for it, but a bit off the pace.. 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Dave ,It’s been a ****** alright ,worse than when he had pnuemonia 😯 it’s viral not bacteria by looks of it . It been better last few days ,that’s why I’m so shocked he hurled again.
Sounds like Tiotes a bit too fired up like. 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
wehey…penalty to the toon !!!
Munich Mag(Quote)
Pen ,not Cisse please 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
😀 get in there Lad
Big Dave(Quote)
**** our penalties are **** 👿
toonsy(Quote)
The keeper looks like he was going to cry 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
1 -0 Demba….lucky lad… 🙄
Shoyt pen, brilliant finish for the rebound !
Thought the Braga goalie was gonna start to bubble… 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
GOAL 😀 Ba’s as bad as Cisse with the pens ,Think Shola is our best Penalty taker . 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
get in 😀
Axel(Quote)
**** penno, excellent finish. Harper looks well off he boil
Rinton man(Quote)
Reet lads lets not concede like we normally do
Calm down Ba FFS I hate seeing **** like that, if that was the prem he would be off 👿
Big Dave(Quote)
Sammy 😀
toonsy(Quote)
Marvaux looks solid, could be our equivalent of the scum’s sessegnon next year,
Rinton man(Quote)
Or not 😥 😆
And now 1-1 🙄
toonsy(Quote)
Don’t understand why players got to do sly kicks in a meaningless friendly 🙄
OFFSIDE ******.
kimtoon(Quote)
FFS Typical 👿
Big Dave(Quote)
**** 1.1 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
**** they made us look stupid with that equaliser. Timmy would have saved that 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
We’re conceding a lot of goals from the edge of the box. Granted Harps could do nowt about that but how about the defending?
Can’t even blame Williamson for that one which will gut some people 😆
toonsy(Quote)
whey **** me , only wee can dee that an off side goal and 1 minute later 1-1
Axel(Quote)
Dreamboat warming up…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Can we not keep a lead ❓ 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡
andymag(Quote)
1 -0 to the toon was somewhat falttering anway on the posession alone..
Munich Mag(Quote)
Boom Raylor 😀
toonsy(Quote)
Fuking peach of a free kick
Big Dave(Quote)
Raylor 😀 nice one.
kimtoon(Quote)
😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
wow man, what a brilliant free kick from Raylor ! 2-1 toon !
Munich Mag(Quote)
GET IN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!
andymag(Quote)
Ryan Taylor over the wall!
Newkie(Quote)
Get the silverware polish back out .. 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
he score’s from a free kick when he wants tee ,raylor
he score’s from a free kick when he wants tee ,raylor
Axel(Quote)
Newkie
was thinking the same thing
andymag(Quote)
MM
I’d already stored it away
andymag(Quote)
Munich, Don’t tempt fate. 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
Harper, say what you will, the man is a fucking legend 😉
Newkie(Quote)
Kimtoon….divvent worry pet…. 😉
It’s a cunning tactic of ours to get thoroughly outplayed then win with a piece of brilliance.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Jesus Tavs ,christ ,woodwork 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
Man we are gash… 🙁
Spurs will absolutely batter us…
Munich Mag(Quote)
fuk we were lucky there again
Big Dave(Quote)
pheww, that was close. Anyonne else see the ryanair sign and thought about Taylor’s freekick? 😆
andymag(Quote)
we are gonna be true magpies and pinch a bit of silver 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
book that **** 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Another sending off 😆
toonsy(Quote)
haha what a tool 😆
andymag(Quote)
Oops red card for the Braga defender … 🙄
Munich Mag(Quote)
Kim
If its shiny we’re gunna nab it 😈
andymag(Quote)
10 men now ,if we don’t go on to win it’ll be a be a right shown up. 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
oh just remembered about us and 10 men 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
cheeky tavy 😎
andymag(Quote)
😆 Cisse 😳
Big Dave(Quote)
What a ball by yohan 😎
andymag(Quote)
ET getting a few mins 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
uh oh its him 😯 😥
andymag(Quote)
reet hold on lads only 5 mins or so between us and silverware
Big Dave(Quote)
Where did 4 mins come from 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)