Newcastle United vs. Borussia Dortmund: The Magpies begin a grueling Champions League schedule when they host Bundesliga opponents at St James’ Park.
As they prepare for the visit of Borussia Dortmund, Eddie Howe believes his team is adapting to the demands of Champions League play. Newcastle had four points from their first two European games this season, with a win and a draw in the league games that immediately follow their midweek Champions League trips.
Balancing a tight fixture calendar and the intense expectations required to compete on all fronts is a new concept that Howe’s team has had to adapt to this season, and while he believes his team is doing well, he has challenged them to keep up the good work throughout the season.
“I think with every experience we have with every game, those experiences do all the players a world of good,” Howe told the Gazette. The number of games, the intensity of the games, and the non-stop aspect of them switching from one competition to another are all new to us this season.
“So we’re learning to deal with and adapt to that, but I have to say the players’ focus going into every game has been spot on.” They were able to recover, re-energize, and give another performance. “Now, the challenge for us is to find that and maintain that consistency as we go through the season.”
Newcastle United will play six matches in 18 days, including meetings against Wolves, Manchester United, Arsenal, Dortmund again, and Bournemouth, before the next international break.
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