Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has revealed the state of mind of his team ahead of their meeting with Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League.
On their return to the European stage after over a decade away, they were tossed into the group of death. PSG, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund lay wait, ready to pounce on their relative inexperience to score points to progress to the next round and to secure a place in the UEFA Europa League at worst.
However, the Magpies started their campaign brilliantly, demolishing the 2019/20 finalists PSG 4-0 in front of a thundering St James Park crowd. Many sat up and began to see the Premier League side as dark horses after that match.
Their inexperience was immediately exposed. A draw at the San Siro versus Milan was followed up with back-to-back losses against Dortmund, keeping them in last place. Now, they are up against PSG at Parc De Princes on Tuesday and are well aware of the revenge mindset that the French giants have for their humiliation in England.
It is this awareness that has stirred up a fear in Newcastle, according to Howe. The 45-year-old manager has also said that this feat will drive them to action and they will do all they can to prevent being knocked out by the team who they defeated in their return to the European stage.
“There was a real motivation in the squad to create an incredible season for ourselves this year. And we can still do that in this competition. And it’s driving us forward every day,” Howe said in his pre-match press conference.
“We want to be in it as long as we can. And that makes it a huge moment in our season. Fear of failure is a motivating factor for me in my career. The thought of losing, doesn’t sit comfortably with me. Everything for me is geared to try and avoid that feeling of losing and the elation of winning.”
“I don’t think the motivation, the hunger, couldn’t be any bigger for us at the moment. I don’t think it’s a bigger motivation for me, because I feel I’m motivated for every game in the same way.”
Newcastle could lose and remain in the competition if Milan lose to Dortmund in the other clash of their group. However, Howe is choosing not to focus on those eventualities and is looking to secure the biggest win of his career instead.
“We prefer to try and win this game so we can do and then worry about Milan afterwards,” he said. “We’re certainly not in a strong position. We’re not in the position that we wanted to be. But we are where we are. We have to just focus on this game.”
