By Milcah Tanimu
Newcastle United, fueled by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, is making a long-awaited return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 20 years. Their journey recommences with a clash against AC Milan on Tuesday, and the Magpies are hoping this marks the beginning of their ascent on the European football stage.
For the past two decades, Newcastle has spent more time in the Championship, England’s second tier, than competing in Europe’s elite competitions. However, buoyed by the substantial backing of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), they are determined to emulate the success of Manchester City by transforming their financial resources into domestic and continental glory.
In their debut Premier League season following PIF’s acquisition of an 80 percent stake in the club, Newcastle impressively secured a place in the top four, seemingly ahead of schedule in their project.
Nonetheless, the start of the new season has been a reality check for the club, with Eddie Howe’s side suffering consecutive defeats to Manchester City, Liverpool, and Brighton. They managed to bounce back with a somewhat unconvincing 1-0 victory over Brentford on Saturday.
Despite the allure of lucrative contracts in Saudi Arabia that has attracted several of football’s biggest stars, Newcastle’s spending in the transfer market has been relatively restrained due to financial fair play constraints. They ranked only seventh among Premier League clubs in terms of summer spending, making selective signings like Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento, and Sandro Tonali.
Tonali, in particular, highlights the changing landscape of European football, as Newcastle managed to lure him from AC Milan, a seven-time European champion, despite Milan’s recent Champions League semi-final appearance. He is expected to play a significant role in Newcastle’s campaign after recovering from a minor injury sustained while on international duty.
These are the glamorous European nights that Newcastle fans have yearned for during the somewhat uninspiring 14-year ownership tenure of former owner Mike Ashley.
Eddie Howe, in his first Champions League campaign as manager, isn’t intimidated by the level of opposition. He believes that Newcastle is accustomed to competing at a high level due to the demands of the Premier League.
Manchester City needed 12 attempts to finally win the Champions League, but they have been a consistent presence in the competition since their initial qualification in 2011, backed by Abu Dhabi-based ownership. Newcastle now aspires to achieve a similar level of consistency on Europe’s grandest stage, marking another chapter in S