What the Belgian media said about Newcastle United and Nick Woltemade after 4-0 Champions League win
Newcastle United earned high praise from the Belgian press after their emphatic 4-0 Champions League victory over Union Saint-Gilloise on Wednesday night.
Nick Woltemade and Harvey Barnes were both on target, while Anthony Gordon converted two penalties in Brussels to seal the Magpies’ biggest-ever win in the competition.
The result marked a strong response to their 2-1 opening defeat to Barcelona and handed Union SG a harsh reality check in their first-ever Champions League home match at Anderlecht’s Lotto Park.
Belgian outlet La Capitale, based in Brussels, wrote that Newcastle had brought Union SG “back down to earth,” describing the 4-0 result as “a hell of a slap in the face” for the Belgian champions.
The paper highlighted Woltemade’s early strike — turning in Sandro Tonali’s effort — before Gordon’s double and Barnes’ late goal rounded off a dominant performance.
It was a refreshing change for Newcastle, who found themselves in the so-called “group of death” alongside Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan in last season’s Champions League, to now be the ones delivering the wake-up call.
Elsewhere, HLN praised Woltemade’s impact and quality, writing: “The German showed why Newcastle paid nearly €70 million for him.”
Following the match, head coach Eddie Howe spoke highly of the 22-year-old striker, who was making his first Champions League start.
“His potential is high,” Howe said. “There are certain areas we want to improve — the physical demands of the Premier League are huge, and he’ll need to adapt to that relentless intensity.
But his technical ability, finishing instinct, and physical presence stand out.
“It’s an exciting start for him.
He’s eager to work, to improve, and there’s still more to come — physically, tactically, and mentally — as we develop him to handle the Premier League week in and week out.”
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