The Germany international has been moved into a different role by Eddie Howe and Hansi Flick has given his verdict
Barcelona's German coach Hansi Flick gives a press conference on the eve of their UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg football match against Newcastle United
Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick gives a press conference on the eve of their UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg football match against Newcastle United
View 2 Images
Newcastle United star Nick Woltemade has been told to ignore critics by Barcelona boss Hansi Flick.
The former Bayern Munich head coach knows Woltemade well and sees him as one of the top stars for Germany ahead of this summer's World Cup. The £69million signing has been moved into midfield after starting the season as a striker but Flick believes that there will be positive reasons why.
Flick told Chronicle Live: "His price tag is not his fault. He should play with confidence. It is like that."
When asked if he was surprised to see Woltemade utilised as a midfielder, Flick said: "Eddie Howe knows better than me about his position (centre midfield).
"Nick is good for the national team. I wish Nick all the best, maybe not for this game, but after this game!"
And Flick is expecting a difficult encounter against the Magpies with the tie evenly poised at 1-1.
Flick said: "Newcastle are a physical team. Very aggressive. Man to man. But in transition, they have fast players. We will have to play our perfect game tomorrow."
The German boss also warned that Newcastle will be going in against a Barca team capable of winning the trophy.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe and striker Nick Woltemade
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe and striker Nick Woltemade
View 2 Images
"We have to stay positive and optimistic; we’re capable of winning this Champions League. But we need to improve and make sure every player reaches their best level."
Here at ChronicleLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Newcastle United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest NUFC news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Everything is Black and White podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.