PSG v Newcastle: Howe says it will be a major test at the Parc des Princes!

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·27 de enero de 2026

PSG v Newcastle: Howe says it will be a major test at the Parc des Princes!

This Wednesday at 9pm (broadcast on Canal+) Paris Saint-Germain (6th) faces Newcastle (7th) at the Parc des Princes as part of the 8th matchday of the 2025-2026 Champions League. In a press conference, English coach Eddie Howe spoke about this match and the Parisian opponent.

Howe: “We’ll know more in the coming hours”

“How are Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes, who were doubtful before this trip to Paris? Joe had a scan, he doesn’t have a serious injury, but he’ll be out for several weeks. As for Bruno, he’s with us. We’ll know more in the coming hours.

Howe: “In the first match, I experienced, I think, the best atmosphere I can remember at St James’ Park”

What did you learn from your two previous encounters against PSG in the Champions League, during the group stage of the 2023-2024 season (4-1 win for the Magpies at St James’ Park, then 1-1 at the Parc)? They were two very different matches. In the first, I experienced, I think, the best atmosphere I can remember at St James’ Park. It helped and inspired us. And then there was that goal from Fabian (Schär, a curling shot into the top corner in the 90+1st minute)… It was incredible to see a central defender score in that way. From the return match, I remember that PSG played very well and that we resisted very well to keep our advantage (the Magpies led 1-0 after a goal from Alexander Isak in the 24th minute). Then there was that incident everyone remembers (a controversial penalty awarded to PSG in the 90+5th minute and converted by Kylian Mbappé). I was very proud of my players.

Howe: “They don’t try to copy anyone”

What do you think of Luis Enrique’s PSG, who beat many English clubs last season and recently dominated Tottenham (5-3, on November 26)? I watched all those matches and I was very impressed. It’s really a team you can admire, because of the way they play, the way their coach has made them evolve and strengthened them with well-chosen signings. There are many praiseworthy aspects to this team, especially their style of play, which is quite unique. They don’t try to copy anyone. It should also be noted that they have very athletic players in every position and technically, they’re all very good. For me, this is the ultimate test, the toughest match we could play.

In Eddie Howe’s words, everything converges on the same idea: this trip to Paris is not just another match. First, there’s the management of available forces, with Joelinton out for several weeks and lingering uncertainty around Bruno Guimarães, a key figure in the English midfield. But beyond the injury list, Howe especially insists on the scale of the challenge.

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Against Paris Saint-Germain under Luis Enrique, Newcastle is preparing to face a mature team, confident in its principles and physically dominant. The English coach doesn’t speak of a simple opponent, but of an “ultimate test,” revealing the true level of his squad. It’s a deliberate, almost educational respect, highlighting PSG’s new European status: a reference, no longer a model to copy, but a team to face with humility and character.

Howe: “In the coming days, we’ll learn a lot about ourselves”

How do you approach the difficult schedule Newcastle is currently facing? It’s a pivotal period. When you look at the run of matches and the identity of our opponents (Newcastle will then travel to Liverpool in the league, then to Manchester City, in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final), this sequence will be physically and psychologically demanding. In the coming days, we’ll learn a lot about ourselves. Hopefully, with positive lessons. But I have confidence in my group.”

For Paris Saint-Germain, the stakes go far beyond the simple result. This match comes at a pivotal moment in the season, when the balance of the team is set and automatisms must be fully in place. The good news for Paris is the gradual return of players who have been out for a long time, giving Luis Enrique extra options in the European money time.

More depth, more solutions, but also greater demands: at this stage, every detail counts. Against an English opponent who approaches the match without complexes but with clear-sightedness, PSG has the opportunity to confirm that its rise in power is not just theoretical. This kind of match is not only about quality, but about being ready at the right moment. And Paris knows that the right moment is now.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.