Chronicle Live is in Baku for Newcastle's Champions League play-off - but as Lee Ryder discovered there is no easy way to get here
Baku life. Pic: Lee Ryder
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They say it is all about the journey not the destination - and for Eddie Howe's Newcastle United that could not be more accurate.
For me the long 17 hour plus journey from Tyneside to Baku has been a roller-coaster in itself but for Howe's players they should take a moment and reflect on how far they have come. Many of the squad were involved in 2022 when Newcastle avoided relegation and now they are bidding for a date with Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16 of Europe's premier competition.
Make no mistake, there has been turbulence for Howe's Magpies as they have zig-zagged their way across Europe and managed to just about stay in both domestic and Champions League competitions until the latter stages. They will jet out of Newcastle in fine fettle after booking a place in round five of the FA Cup and getting their season back on track in the Premier League with an important win over Tottenham Hotspur.
CEO David Hopkinson has not held back when setting the bar high and talking about becoming "world class" in every department and trying to win the Premier League by 2030. In truth, United aren't close to that just yet, but back to that journey and while things seem stressful now, it is a good bet that Howe and his backroom staff will look back on trips to Baku with a smile.
Somehow, Newcastle have maintained an interest in at least two cups with springtime just around the corner. Given that Howe has a chronic injury list including Tino Livramento, Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar among those out, and is still operating with four or five of the squad he inherited in 2021, that is some feat.
The likes of Jacob Murphy, Schar, Joe Willock, Joelinton and Emil Krafth were all on the squad list in Howe's first game in charge against Brentford when the Magpies drew 3-3.
The journey within the journey -and an ambitious peer into the future in Budapest!
No sooner had the final whistle sounded at Villa Park I headed back to Tyneside on Saturday night, arriving home just after 1am.
Just a couple of hours sleep were afforded before making it to Newcastle International Airport to check in at 4am for the 6.20am flight to Budapest. A long layover in Budapest meant that clearing the notepad from the weekend's game took place in a coffee shop on the banks of the Danube.
Budapest is just a two hour flight from Newcastle but the saying travel broadens the mind rings home. Billboards of Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky are everywhere in Budapest.
Zelensky wants Hungary to stop blocking Ukraine's bid to join the European Union. As I speak to a local named Miklos, he tells me: "We want to support Ukraine, but we want to buy peace, not war."
Suddenly, football doesn't seem too important, but it goes to show that you don't have to travel too far or for too long to see another very different angle of life.
Budapest will hit the headlines again in May and there is still a chance that Newcastle United could be part of it. Of course, the city was where the Magpies famously won the 1969 Fairs Cup when Bobby Moncur lifted the trophy after a win over Újpest Dózsa.
Whether it is an omen that the Champions League final is in Budapest while Newcastle remain in it is up for debate. United are massive outsiders but 'in it to win it' according to Howe.
The UEFA showpiece will take place at the Puskás Aréna, which holds 67,000 fans. On the lighter prospect of a global sporting event taking place in Budapest, my Hungarian friend says: "We'd all love a ticket for the final and it would be wonderful for Newcastle fans to experience our city."
However, my short stay in Budapest is coming to an end and it's back to Ferenc Liszt International Airport for my next flight.
Cheaper for a hotel than a pint!
My flight leaves Budapest at 16.15 and takes a couple of hours to get to Istanbul. The sun is setting in the eastern European skies the backdrop is tranquil to say the least.
The flight is full but the first signs of Newcastle fans are starting to take place. Only 1,998 fans have tickets for the game in Baku.
And once inside Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, it feels like we are walking through one of the global gateways of the world. It's a far cry from Newcastle and grabbing a quick Greggs before darting through the small terminal!
It feels like going to a football match as people from different corners of the globe plough through the huge building. A non-stop announcer has the thankless task of racing through departures and gate updates. Up to 832 flights can arrive and depart in Istanbul, and there's no shortage of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. It feels more like the Metrocentre, but I have three hours to find my way through.
Lee Ryder's trip to Azerbaijan including a stop off in Istanbul
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For just €15 you can book a short-stay hotel while you wait for your connection which seems like excellent value considering it is €18 a pint. I skipped the drink and settle for a much-hyped Usta Dönerci kebab wrap and coke which came to about £10!
It's a solid 8/10 bite to eat and enough to keep me ticking over ahead of the next leg of this epic journey. By now it is clear that a few more Newcastle fans are heading through the night on Turkish budget airline AJet. Once on board it feels far from a budget airline, however, with a fresh interior and comfortable leather seats. I sit back and watch the FA Cup game back on my phone before realising less than 24 hours earlier I was at Villa Park and have now taken in my own house (briefly), Budapest and Istanbul since the final whistle sounded in Birmingham!
Landing in Baku
It's about 415am by the time we land in Baku and an understandably tired line of passengers show remarkable levels of patience walking off the flight. Already noticeable is that the pace of life is a little slower than the UK although the sound of car horns beeping is part of the soundtrack in this part of the world.
The customs checkpoint is extremely efficient and the staff are incredibly friendly at Baku Airport. I take my first steps on Azerbaijan soil and I'm not short of options for a taxi.
The weather is mild compared to the freezing tarmac at Newcastle on Sunday morning, which now feels an eternity ago. The taxis in Baku are similar to a London cab and at 5am, and after 2,500 miles of travelling, it's time for a rest in the hotel. Newcastle will arrive in Baku tomorrow but there will be warm welcome waiting for them.
Baku is essentially at the crossroads of Europe and Western Asia. Formerly part of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan gained independence and is a country focused on economic modernisation. It feels like being in Dubai as you walk along the waterfront and take in the sights of the Caspian Sea.
The scene in Baku. Pic: Lee Ryder
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The Deniz Mall is a building inspired by the Sydney Opera House and there is a strong tourism vibe in the area. Pop corn sellers, fish and chip stalls and burger joints are enjoying a roaring trade. The place is far from intimidating as families go about their daily lives and the sun is shining brightly with temperatures of 13 degrees.
Newcastle stage their Press conference and train at Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium on Tuesday and then the big games kicks off at 945am local time on Wednesday. It doesn't sound ideal in terms of preparation but this is the reward Newcastle won last season for finishing in the top five. They should enjoy these days and nights.
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