Erik ten Hag, Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall will not be in opposing dugouts in the Champions League this season.placeholder image
Erik ten Hag, Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall will not be in opposing dugouts in the Champions League this season. | Getty Images
Newcastle United latest news: Eddie Howe’s side will face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League this season.
Bayer Leverkusen have announced the departure of former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag after just two matches of the Bundesliga season. The Dutchman took over from Xabi Alonso earlier this year, with the former Liverpool man returning to Real Madrid to take over as their new manager.
Ten Hag, just less than a year after departing Old Trafford, was tasked with replacing Alonso who had brought much success to the BayArena during his time at the club. However, after a summer of upheaval that saw him lose a number of key players, including Florian Wirtz to Liverpool in what was then a British record fee, ten Hag struggled to make an impact at the Bundesliga side.
On the decision to sack ten Hag, Leverkusen’s managing director of sport, Simon Rolfes, said: “This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step.
“However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this setup is not feasible. We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything we can to take the next steps in our development with a new setup.”
Leverkusen’s CEO Fernando Carro added: “A parting of ways at this early stage of the season is painful, but we felt it was necessary. We remain committed to achieving our goals for the season – and to do that, we need the best possible conditions at all levels and across the entire first team. Now it's a matter of fully implementing and utilising these conditions again.”
Newcastle United’s Champions League fixture schedule
It remains to be seen who will manage Newcastle United’s opponents when they travel to the BayArena to face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League in December. That clash in Germany will be the sixth league phase game the Magpies play in the newly-formatted competition and could prove pivotal in their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages.
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With a trip to Paris to face reigning European champions PSG in their final league phase match, Newcastle will be desperate to have their qualification fate sewn up either following their trip to Leverkusen, or at worst after their final home game against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday 21 January.
Newcastle United have just one Premier League game to play, against Wolves on September 13, before their Champions League campaign gets underway against Barcelona at St James’ Park. That game will be played on Thursday 18 September - exactly 28 years and one day after their famous 3-2 win over the Catalan giants back in 1997.
Newcastle United v Barcelona = Thursday 18 September (8pm kick-off)
Union SG v Newcastle United = Wednesday 1 October (5:45pm kick-off)
Newcastle United v Benfica = Tuesday 21 October (8pm kick-off)
Newcastle United v Athletic Club = Wednesday 5 November (8pm kick-off)
Marseille v Newcastle United = Tuesday 25 November (8pm kick-off)
Bayer Leverkusen v Newcastle United = Wednesday 10 December (8pm kick-off)
Newcastle United v PSV Eindhoven = Wednesday 21 January (8pm kick-off)
PSG v Newcastle United = Wednesday 28 January (8pm kick-off)
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