The new Champions League campaign begins on Tuesday, and we get to witness a special occasion straight away as Newcastle United returns to the biggest stage of European football with an away outing against AC Milan.
An entertaining encounter is expected, with bookmaker 10bet having the odds for both teams to score at a lowly 1.55. The odds are at 2.30 for both teams not to score.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: September 17th, 5:30 P.M. (EST)
Newcastle’s last Champions League appearance came during the 2003-04 qualifying stages, while the team last played in the group stage the season before. Alan Shearer was still banging them in back then for the Magpies, and Sir Bobby Robson was the manager.
Based on start-of-the-season form, it looks like Callum Wilson is ready to step into Shearer’s shoes and start leading the team in 2023-24. The England international has logged just 186 minutes of Premier League action so far, but that hasn’t kept him from topping the team’s scoring charts. The 31-year-old netted a penalty versus Brentford on Saturday to get up to three goals for the campaign.
Newcastle ended a run of three consecutive defeats versus Brentford, so despite Wilson’s scoring exploits, the team actually hasn’t been in very good form at the start of the season. A big result in Europe could be exactly what Eddie Howe’s men need to get going.
Milan has enjoyed a positive beginning to the 2023-24 campaign, although the Rossoneri enter Tuesday’s match after taking a big beating in this season’s first derby against Inter Milan. Both teams went into Saturday’s clash in hot form, having won all of their opening three games of the league season, but only one side showed up at San Siro and it wasn’t Milan.
Stefano Pioli will want to see a big reaction from his team now against Newcastle, especially with this being a home match. The team simply can’t let its supporters down again so soon after suffering the humiliating defeat against Inter.
Pioli has seen Olivier Giroud kick off the campaign in spectacular fashion, and he’ll also be hoping to see Rafael Leao have a major effect on the game. The Portuguese ace bagged Milan’s lone goal in the derby and is now up to two goals and two assists in four appearances this season. Leao should also be pretty fired up after mostly being quiet during Milan’s European nights a season ago.
