Newcastle United are back in Champions League against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday evening, with three players walking the UEFA disciplinary tightrope.
Newcastle United will guarantee progress to the next stage of the Champions League and keep their top eight hopes alive with a win over PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night (8pm kick-off).
It’s Newcastle’s final group phase match at St James’ Park this season, following a 2-1 defeat against Barcelona, followed by 3-0 and 2-0 wins over Benfica and Athletic Club, respectively.
It’s been over a month since Newcastle’s last Champions League outing as they conceded late on to draw 2-2 at Bayer Leverkusen.
While the draw will still likely be enough to secure at least a knockout round play-off place for Newcastle, it was them miss out on guaranteeing progress with two games to spare and keeping them inside the top eight.
Newcastle sit 12th in the 36 team table with two games left to play against PSV and holders Paris Saint-Germain.
A top eight finish guarantees direct progress to the last-16 of the competition while finishing ninth to 24th sees clubs advance to a seeded play-off tie.
Since Newcastle’s last Champions League match, the club have been hit by a defensive injury crisis with the likes of Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Emil Krafth and Tino Livramento set to miss Wednesday’s match.
It leaves head coach Eddie Howe with just four fit senior defenders heading into the final two Champions League group phase matches, though that situation could get worse should there be any disciplinary action on Wednesday night.
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UEFA rules set to ban NUFC star in Champions League
Newcastle have three players at risk of a Champions League ban heading into the PSV match.
Joelinton is just one booking away from a ban having been booked in Newcastle’s opening two group phase matches. The Brazilian has avoided a booking in each of United’s last four Champions League matches, scoring in the 2-0 win over Athletic Club in November.
Should the Brazilian pick up another yellow card in Newcastle’s remaining two group phase matches, he will be banned for one match.
Malick Thiaw is also at risk of a ban having been shown his second booking in the competition last time out in Leverkusen. The German’s last-man challenge was initially awarded as a penalty, though VAR intervention awarded a free-kick instead as a potential red card was avoided.
While Burn is set to miss the PSV match, he is also one booking away from suspension as he closes in on a return to action. It is hoped the defender will be back in contention for the trip to PSG next week.
But if Burn were to pick up a booking, he would be handed a one-match ban for Newcastle’s first knockout round match.
The trio are at real risk of a ban given that the three yellow card threshold doesn’t expire at the end of the group phase but instead carries forward up until the quarter-final stage.
Aaron Ramsdale, Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon are the only other Magpies players who have been shown yellow card in the Champions League this season. The trio would have to be booked a further two times in order to face a ban.
The only exception is if they were to be shown a red card, as is the same with any player.
However, in the event of a serious offence the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body is entitled to augment this punishment, including by extending it to other competitions or increasing the length of the ban in the competition.