Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United looks dejected after the team's defeat during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Newcastle United at London Stadium on November 02, 2025 in London, England.placeholder image
Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United looks dejected after the team's defeat during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Newcastle United at London Stadium on November 02, 2025 in London, England. | Getty Images
Newcastle United v Athletic Club: Eddie Howe has provided an update on his squad ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League clash.
Tino Livramento and Yoane Wissa are already ruled out for the match with knee injuries while Jamaal Lascelles, Harrison Ashby, John Ruddy and Mark Gillespie are ineligible due to not being included in Newcastle’s Champions League squad.
Kieran Trippier missed the 3-1 defeat at West Ham United on Sunday due to illness. While the right-back his since returned to training ahead of the Bilbao game, illness has spread through the squad.
Bruno Guimaraes facing late fitness test
Sandro Tonali previously suffered with illness along with Jacob Murphy, Trippier and now Guimaraes.
Speaking ahead of the match, Howe said: “Yeah, so there seems like there's been a bit of illness going through the squad because that's various players now have picked something up.
“So I think Sandro initially, Jacob Murphy, Bruno, Kieran. So we're making a decision on Bruno tomorrow.
“He's such an important player for us, but he's clearly not been himself and that's why he missed training today.”
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Eddie Howe wanting a reaction from his side after West Ham defeat
Howe will be wanting to get a reaction from his side as they look to make it three wins in a row in the Champions League while bouncing back from the defeat at the London Stadium in the Premier League.
“It feels like we've had a lot of time since because we've done a considerable amount of analysis [of the West Ham game],” Howe said. “I think whenever you deliver a performance like that, it's never one-dimensional, there's been multi-factors that we've reflected on.
“But I think the most important thing from our experiences in Europe have been the quick turnaround in games, the focus very quickly has to go on to the next game. That's not trying to brush things under the carpet. We've faced how we played and we've analysed it, but now we have to move on and look forward.”
Eddie Howe considering changes v Athletic Club
With Guimaraes a doubt and the side struggling for consistency, Howe was asked whether he would consider making a ‘statement’ with his team selection on Wednesday evening.
A win for Newcastle would see them up to nine points from four Champions League games, giving the side a high chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
“Yeah, I don't really know what [a statement selection] that means,” Howe added. “I think I'll always consider the team selection in great detail, in great length.
“I never set out to make a statement. I'll set out to try and pick a team to win the next game. That's the only statement that we need to make.
“And so that's what I'll try and do on this occasion. Difficult team to pick, I think, off the back of Sunday because you could make wholesale changes or you could give the main group of players a chance to redeem themselves for what they delivered or what we delivered.
“So, yeah, I'm still not 100% there with my team, although it's 99% there.”
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