Sean Longstaff admits he can scarcely believe how far he and Newcastle have come in the last two years.
The 25-year-old midfielder’s future looked to lie away from St James’ Park during the latter stage of the Mike Ashley era, but he has revived his career spectacularly since Amanda Staveley’s consortium completed its takeover in October 2021.
Longstaff will head into Wednesday night’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund having established himself in Eddie Howe’s team at the club he supported as a boy and being touted as a future England international.
Asked if he has to pinch himself when he reflects upon how his fortunes have changed, the North Shields-born player, who scored in the 4-1 demolition of Paris St Germain on Tyneside earlier this month, said: “Yes, considering probably where me and a lot of the lads were two-and-a-half years ago.
“To think you’d be sitting in this position and doing a press conference before a Champions League game seemed nearly impossible, I would say.
“I think now we’re just trying to enjoy the momentum and enjoy the good times, I would say. A lot of it has been a long time coming and probably something that we didn’t think would happen, so for us to be in this position now is a real privilege.
“To get to experience great nights in massive competitions is what every player wants and one we’re really grateful to be a part of.”
If European football is new to Longstaff, it is not to his family, with uncle Alan Thompson having scored the goal which secured a famous 1-0 UEFA Cup win for Celtic over Barcelona in March 2004.
He said: “I remember going around to his house and he’s got Ronaldinho’s top up. Probably never in a million years did I think I’d be playing in the same competition. It’s really special.
“It’s probably something I haven’t really thought about, but probably should have.”
Longstaff and his team-mates, who lead Group F after taking four points from their trip to AC Milan and the victory over PSG, finalised preparations for their encounter with the Bundesliga runners-up with Sandro Tonali’s fate still undecided.
The 23-year-old Italy international is subject to an investigation over alleged breaches of betting regulations in his native country, from where reports have suggested a decision which could lead to a lengthy ban is imminent.
However, Howe insists he has prepared as if the former AC Milan midfielder will be available.
The 45-year-old said: “As far as I’m aware, I’m expecting him to be available tomorrow. I’m in a position where I’ll plan like that until told differently, I can’t second guess what’s going to happen.
“He’s trained today and he’s available.”
Tonali, whose agent Giuseppe Riso has said the player is living with a “gambling addiction”, was applauded warmly by the Toon Army before, during and after Saturday’s 4-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace, and Longstaff revealed that compassion is replicated within the dressing room.
He said: “The way Sandro has fitted into our group has been amazing. He’s a top player first and foremost, but he’s actually a better guy.
“We have created a friendship and it’s a privilege to be around him every day and watch what he does and watch how he works. You can understand why he’s so good.”
For Howe, there was a reminder of the Magpies’ ongoing quest for a first major trophy since 1969 when he attended an event in the city on Monday evening with one of his predecessors, Kevin Keegan, who told the audience the former Bournemouth boss could lead the club to Premier League and Champions League glory this season.
Howe said: “My aim, our aim, is to try and win a trophy. I am not shy of saying that. That is the ultimate aim. Whatever competition it is, we will try to do our best.”
Bristol City Women 0-4 Man City Women: Hosts relegated as Fowler double inspires WSL leaders
Mary Fowler scored twice to set WSL leaders Manchester City on their way to a 4-0 rout of Bristol City, who suffered relegation as a result, on Sunday.
With Arsenal having drawn with Everton earlier in the day, Man City knew a victory would be enough to take the title race down to two teams.
That victory duly arrived in emphatic fashion, with all four of Man City's goals arriving in the second half.
Fowler's fantastic strike opened the scoring in the 62nd minute, with the Australia international doubling her tally soon after, paving the way for an Amy Rodgers own goal and Alex Greenwood's late header to seal a huge victory.
Arsenal are now out of the title race, with Chelsea - who have two games in hand on Gareth Taylor's team - the only side capable of catching Man City.
The Robins, meanwhile, will be playing in the second tier again next term.
Data Debrief: Bristol heading down with a whimper
Bristol City have failed to score in their last five games in the WSL, a run of 544 minutes without a goal.
They mustered just 0.09 expected goals (xG) to Man City's 3.4, with the visitors having now kept a clean sheet in nine of their 20 league games this season.
De Rossi demands more from 'tired' Roma ahead of crunch run
Daniele De Rossi acknowledged his Roma team may be tired, but he insisted they must not allow themselves to be embarrassed.
Roma fought back to draw 2-2 with last season's Serie A champions Napoli in a pulsating fixture on Sunday.
Tammy Abraham's late header secured a point for De Rossi's team, who took the lead through Paulo Dybala's penalty before going behind to goals from Matias Olivera and Victor Osimhen.
With Serie A set to have five teams in the Champions League next season, Roma occupy fifth spot with four matches remaining, but sixth-placed Atalanta are just two points behind with a game in hand.
There is also the small matter of a Europa League semi-final against Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on the cards over the coming weeks, and De Rossi set the stall out.
"We drew, it is not a result to throw away, but it is not the result or the performance that we wanted," Roma coach Daniele De Rossi told Sky Sports Italia.
"At times you can steal the ball off Napoli, but we then gave it back again too many times. Napoli had a lot of chances in the first half, we did better in the second, but we have to do better.
"Look, we are tired, but we cannot start thinking that we’re tired and that means we can be embarrassed in the final few weeks of the season."
Roma host Leverkusen on Thursday before taking on Juventus on May 5, with a crunch clash against Atalanta – who are also into the Europa League semi-finals – set to follow after the away leg against Xabi Alonso's team.
Key to a successful end to the campaign for Roma will be keeping Dybala fit. The Argentine has been involved in the joint-most goals (12) in Serie A since the turn of the year, scoring nine and setting up three, level with Juve's Dusan Vlahovic.
PSG's latest Ligue 1 title arrives as Monaco lose to Lyon
Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned as Ligue 1 champions after Lyon overcame Monaco 3-2 on Sunday.
A 4-1 midweek win over Lorient ensured that one more victory would be enough for Luis Enrique's team to get over the line, but PSG failed to get the job done themselves when they faced relegation-threatened Le Havre on Saturday.
That game was the 700th match of the QSI era at PSG, and the club's 1,900th in France's top flight.
However, PSG's wait to win their third straight title did not last long, as less than 24 hours later, Lyon – who will face the Parisians in the final of the Coupe de France at the end of May – came out on top in a topsy turvy encounter with second-placed Monaco.
Substitute Malick Fofana was the matchwinner for Lyon, and ultimately the player who handed the title to PSG.
Wissam Ben Yedder had put Monaco ahead in the opening minute, but quickfire goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma turned the match on its head before half-time.
Ben Yedder netted his second to restore parity on the hour mark, and thought he had sealed his hat-trick when he volleyed in from a free-kick, only to have strayed offside.
With only a win good enough for Monaco to stay in the fight, the visitors were then caught out in the 84th minute, with Fofana racing onto Lacazette's throughball and finishing calmly.
After a dismal start to the season, relegation looked a real possibility for Lyon, but they are now, with three games remaining, still in with a shout of qualifying for Europe.
PSG on the other hand now have 12 Ligue 1 titles to their name, with 10 of those coming under QSI's ownership. Aside from the COVID-impacted 2019-20 season, five of their last six league titles have been secured before the start of May.
It also means Luis Enrique remains in the running for a treble in his first season at the club, with PSG taking on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals next week.
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