Champions League: The Geordie March on Europe Continues

Newcastle United vs Borussia Dortmund

Newcastle United are back in European action on Wednesday as another famous name comes to St James’ Park for a showdown under the floodlights.

Borussia Dortmund are the next giant to attempt to clip the wings of the Magpies. 

Eddie Howe’s team are Champions League newcomers but they have the look of old hands, particularly after they slapped Paris Saint-Germain in their last outing. The Geordies are already into a SBOTOP price of 21.00 to win the European Crown at the first attempt, making them seventh favourites and they are the lowest priced team to win Group F at odds of 2.20; and in a group completed by Serie A heavyweights AC Milan that is some position to be in.

Edin Terzic’s Borussia Dortmund have more experience among Europe’s elite but Die Scwarzgelben are now the outsiders after picking up just one point so far, leaving them at the bottom of the qualifying group.     

Newcastle were in scintillating form again at the weekend as they thrashed Crystal Palace 4-0 while Dortmund stayed among the leading pack in the Bundesliga thanks to a 1-0 victory over Werder Bremen. 

Talking Points

Gordon is coming of age at Newcastle

At 22 years of age winger Anthony Gordon is one of the first names Howe scribbles on his team sheet these days as he matures to become one of the finest creative wide men in English football. He was still a little raw when he arrived at St James’ Park in a £40m switch from Everton last year but Gordon’s all round play, coupled with a cooler head makes that look like money well spent. A tricky winger with bags of energy he has added goals to his game and only Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak have scored more for Newcastle this term. With left winger Jacob Murphy on the other flank having a superb game against the Eagles, Newcastle can stretch any defence.

At the other end of the pitch keeper Nick Pope has been imperious as the last line of defence and it is a mystery why he was left out of the last England squad. Meanwhile full backs Dan Burn and the experienced Kieran Trippier support the attack at every opportunity.

With two games gone Newcastle’s Champions League 2023 results couldn’t have gone much better in such a tough group. Eddie Howe’s team started their European campaign with a battling 0-0 draw away to AC Milan before sweeping PSG aside with Burn among the goal scorers.

This team fears no-one.  

Brandt is Mr Bundesliga

BVB’s creative muscle comes in the form of attacking midfielder Julian Brandt and he scored the only goal in Dortmund’s 1-0 win over Werder Bremen, sweeping his shot home after taking a through ball from Emre Can. At 27 years of age Brandt is the third youngest player in the history of the league to rack up 300 Bundesliga appearances and having starred for both Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund he has played at a consistently high level, also making 45 appearances for Germany.

Brandt has scored 27 goals in 136 games for Dortmund and he is part of a front group which also boasts Marco Reus and Donyell Malen, while wing back Julian Ryerson is enjoying a rich vein of form. With Gio Reyna and Sebastien Haller pushing for a start BVB will have plenty of firepower and Terzic will set his team up to frustrate the Magpies and hit them on the break.     

After losing their opener to PSG, the visit of AC Milan to the Signal Iduna Park gave Dortmund a chance to claw themselves back into contention, but they were frustrated by a typically well organised Rossoneri; and while the Champions League 2023 betting odds don’t give Die Schwarzgelben much hope of progressing from this group, they certainly won’t have given up after two games.

Things will look much healthier for Terzic’s men if they can get a result on Tyneside.    

History

Given Newcastle’s absence from elite football for well over half a century it’s no surprise that this is the first ever meeting between these two teams. But while the Magpies flapped around in the football wilderness Borussia Dortmund were making themselves known, winning the Bundesliga in 2011 and 2012 and reaching the Champions League final in 2013.

But times have changed and, while BVB are running well in the German top flight; their four wins, one draw and one defeat from the last six games is eclipsed by Newcastle’s five victories and one draw.  

This will be a good contest though; the visitors are unbeaten in five while the Magpies are unbeaten in eight and have won their last five home games. 

Betting Tip

At 1.72 Newcastle are strong favourites to win this game, with BVB at 3.73 and the draw at 3.64. The Geordies are brimming with confidence and they have made the step up to European football with style, but to sustain that level of performance week after week is not easy, and the German side is experienced in the field of European combat.  I don’t think BVB will leave Tyneside empty handed but they will have to be at their best.  

 

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