Alexander Isak of Newcastle United celebrates with the Carabao Cup trophy
Alexander Isak of Newcastle United celebrates with the Carabao Cup trophy
Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is being back on Tyneside so he can finally begin to celebrate the club's Carabao Cup win with his team-mates. The Swede has been away on international duty, like many of his co-stars, but will take centre stage as Newcastle's players and staff parade the trophy around the city and on the Town Moor.
Isak, along with Dan Burn, Sandro Tonali, Martin Dubravka, Anthony Gordon, Joelinton, Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley, jetted off to represent his country just hours after United emerged victorious at Wembley Stadium earlier this month. Saturday's city centre celebration is therefore the first time Eddie Howe's first-team can truly celebrate their achievement as a collective.
The players and staff are set to leave St James' Park around 4pm on Saturday afternoon, with the bus procession making its way to the Town Moor, where those involved will arrive on stage to entertain the masses and show off the pot once again.
“They [Newcastle players not on international duty] haven’t been in Newcastle, so I haven’t missed that part. We will come back and celebrate with the fans now," Isak told Swedish outlet Aftonbladet.
“I think the parade will be incredible. It is a bus parade and something more, when you meet the fans on a big field. I don’t know exactly how many [fans] there will be, but most of the city I think.”
150,000 people are expected to flock to the Moor for the showpiece, with many more set to take in the bus journey at different points of the route. A giant stage situated next to the Great North Road has been erected, with special guests teased as the big day creeps closer.
United's players not on international duty enjoyed a party in London in the hours after the win, before jetting to Dubai for warm weather training and some well earned relaxation. Howe was adamant he wanted his champions to enjoy their accomplishment but Saturday's event promises to be more low key than the post-Wembley scenes given Newcastle play Brentford in the Premier League on April 2.
"There has to be a big celebration," he said in the immediate aftermath of the win. "I certainly will be encouraging it, which is very rare for me, usually I'm the other way. We have to celebrate, hopefully with our supporters, with everyone that's waited so long."