The teams have been released ahead of tonight’s 8pm kick off at the Estadio da Luz, where Newcastle United take on Portuguese giants Benfica in the Eusébio Cup.
The pre-season clash can be watched HERE via a live stream shown on NUFC TV, with Eddie Howe selecting the following side from the start
Newcastle United XI: Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Botman, Targett, S Longstaff, Guimaraes, Anderson, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Wilson.
Subs: Darlow, Schar, Joelinton, Shelvey, Ritchie, Krafth, Wood, M.Longstaff, Willock, Burn, Bondswell, Turner-Cooke.
Benfica XI: Odysseas, Grimaldo, Morato, Otamendi (C), Gilberto, Florentino, Enzo, João Mário, Rafa, David Neres, Gonçalo Ramos.
So, a strong side selected by Eddie Howe, seeing Trippier, Botman, Guimaraes, Saint-Maximin and Wilson all start, with Elliot Anderson also an interesting inclusion in the starting 11 following claims he could be set to stay – not go out on loan.
Elsewhere, Dubravka is missing with a ‘minor’ injury, meaning Darlow is named on the bench in his absence alongside the likes of Shelvey, Joelinton, Burn, Willock and Schar – who are all likely to feature in the second 45.
Here’s a look at our summer schedule so far, along with the remaining pre-season fixtures to come – where we face Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao at St James’ Park over the weekend before next Saturday’s opening day clash with Nottingham forest:
- 1st July (Friday) – Players returned for pre-season training
- 9th July (Saturday) – Newcastle 5-1 Gateshead (behind-closed-doors)
- – Austria training camp
- 15th July (Friday) – Newcastle 3-0 1860 Munich (SaalfeldenArena Bürgerau)
- 18th July (Monday) – Newcastle 0-1 Mainz 05 (Kufstein Arena)
- – Portugal training camp
- 23rd July (Saturday) – Newcastle beat Burnley (behind closed doors)
- 26th July (Tuesday) – Benfica (8pm local time) at Estádio da Luz
- 29th July (Friday) – Atalanta (7.45pm BST) at St James’ Park
- 30th July (Saturday) – Athletic Bilbao (3pm BST) at St James’ Park
