· 6 August 2025, 13:30
**Newcastle United's players have returned to training today after being handed Monday and Tuesday off to recover from the long flights back from South Korea.**
The Magpies will be back in action on Friday and Saturday this weekend as it's the now traditional Sela Weekender, which takes place on the final weekend of the off-season.
Newcastle will take on Espanyol on Friday, followed by Atletico Madrid on Saturday as they contest for the Sela Cup.
Meanwhile, Eddie Howe has invited the players' families to join them at the training ground today when the squad is done being put through their paces in what sounds like a school sports day.
> [](https://twitter.com/SkySports_Keith/status/1953030539297824802)
Eddie Howe has invited the players' families for fun and games at Benton today
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Eddie Howe has often emphasised that he wants his squad to feel like family, and bringing everyone together is a great way to strengthen that bond, as Keith Downie reports.
> 🚨 EXCL: Eddie Howe has arranged a family day for all his players and staff today. 👩❤️💋👨 Partners & children of all players are invited in to the Training Ground for lunch & activities, following training. ⚽️ It’s the first day back for the squad following their tour of Asia. 🧑🧑🧒🧒 Howe & the club do a lot to foster a strong family environment all year round, and these gatherings are regular.
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> ✅ However feeling this comes at a good time for the players & staff after a difficult summer off the pitch.
It might be the kind of atmosphere that will be needed around the training ground after Howe is expected to speak to Alexander Isak today.
The bond between players and their families is excellent at the club
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We've seen many times how the players and their families tend to hang out off the pitch, particularly Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes, whose wives seem as close as the lads themselves.
The summer has been a slog when it comes to transfers and the atmosphere that those sagas have caused, but there is a feeling that the spirit in the squad is rock solid, even with Isak's shenanigans threatening to cause a rift.
We're now just hoping for some form of update on that situation today as the gaffer and his striker sit down for talks.