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Newcastle will temporarily realise that their fans are unlikely to win them a Champions League match, and they may find out about Celtic’s draw against Shakhtar last season.
So says Charlie Adam, who warned the Magpies that they would have to face the truth if they expected the crowd at St James’ Park to help them get through their home games. Eddie Howe takes his team back to UEFA’s most sensational festival after 20 years away and begins with a trip to Italy to face AC Milan. They then host PSG and Borussia Dortmund in Tyneside for a home-legged doubleheader after the touchdown in Group of Death this season.
Newcastle’s home crowd is one of the most productive in England, but Adam believes he will be surprised if he thinks it will be enough to get through nightmarish matches against the continent’s most sensible teams. And he believes Celtic’s 1-1 draw was against Shakhtar, where many expected the Ukrainians to falter in the fearsome atmosphere of Parkhead, is proof enough.
Adam told BBC Radio Five Live: “Enthusiasts don’t win you a match. Everyone was saying, “Celtic will beat Shakhtar Donetsk” and the bubble burst after about 10 minutes. It’s not the enthusiasts who win football matches.