The South American standout anticipates Newcastle United’s journey to Barcelona will be truly memorable for all the right reasons
Newcastle United assistant head coach Jason Tindall and Joelinton(Image: Elmir Karimov/Shutterstock)
Tomorrow night, Newcastle United’s influential midfielder, Joelinton, hopes his upcoming visit to Barcelona will be a more positive experience than his previous trips to the Catalan capital.
The Magpies’ star player is familiar with the city, having flown between Tyneside and Barca multiple times over the past couple of years to consult a specialist for various injury concerns. His most recent visit was in January when he received a pain-relieving injection for a groin injury to aid his recovery after a winter break.
However, fresh from his contributions to recent major victories against formidable opponents like Manchester United and Chelsea, he is now set to grace the Nou Camp as Newcastle potentially eye their most lucrative European payout ever. A win would propel them into the quarter-finals of this competition for the first time in their history, securing an additional £10 million and pushing their total prize money for the season beyond the £60 million mark.
The Brazilian international remarked: “I’ve travelled to Barcelona a few times in recent seasons for injections, but I’m thrilled to be there to play this time around!
“I’m optimistic we can go to the Nou Camp and deliver a strong performance. We possess the confidence and conviction to advance. To be frank, our performances in the last few games have significantly improved, and we’ve secured valuable points against Chelsea and Man United.
“We also held Barcelona to a draw, and our confidence is growing with each match. If we maintain our effort and determination, we can still achieve our objectives this season.”
La Rambla is already teeming with black and white jerseys, as 10,000 Toon supporters have descended upon the city for the crucial game – with 7,000 of them present without match tickets.
Joelinton commented: “This is something we always anticipate, but this occasion will be truly exceptional. Witnessing 10,000 Geordies in Barcelona is unbelievable.
“They will be incredibly important for us. I hope we can put on a great display for them.
“I wish everyone a fantastic trip. We hope they enjoy it, and we’ll enjoy it with them too. If we give our all, we can deliver a positive outcome for them.”
Newcastle arrives in Barcelona in high spirits after securing a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend. Joelinton entered the game as a substitute, helping to cement the Magpies’ first away win against the Blues since 2012.
Joelinton stated: “That was a monumental away win. We kept a clean sheet, and there were many positives to draw from it; we displayed remarkable resilience to clinch the three points.
“We are extremely pleased with everything. Winning at Chelsea has never been easy, and it was my inaugural victory there. So, it’s a wonderful feeling. We’ve faced challenging matches there previously, but we pushed through and secured the win. The players who came on performed excellently and worked diligently for the team, demonstrating that superb mindset.”
It remains uncertain whether Joelinton will start alongside Nick Woltemade in midfield at the Nou Camp. The German international is currently being deployed in the engine room, and Joelinton is content whether he plays alongside him in the middle or sees him revert to his initial striker position.
The Brazilian powerhouse affirmed: “Every time Nick has played in that role, he has performed admirably. I believe he has proven in every game that he is prepared to commit everything for the team, regardless of where he plays.
“It’s fantastic to observe his dedication, and hopefully, he can continue to develop. If he keeps playing well, it can only benefit us greatly.”
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