Joelinton ‘very sad’ for Newcastle fans who serve as ‘motivation’ for Magpies to ‘give them the win’ | OneFootball

Joelinton celebrates goal with Callum Wilson

Newcastle star Joelinton has detailed how he’s “very sad” that the side could not get to the Champions League knockouts for the fans, as they give them “motivation” to “give them the win.”

The Magpies reached the Champions League for the first time in 20 years this season. It was the next step on a redemptive journey under the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

They appointed Eddie Howe and gave him free rein to make the squad his own. He’s done that, and made a competitive one that finished fourth in the Premier League last season, ahead of the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.

The Champions League is a different kettle of fish, though, particularly playing against big clubs in Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan.

Unfortunately for the Magpies, after they’d kept themselves afloat with a win against PSG and draws against both them and Milan, they fell short against the Italian opponents on their second meeting, meaning they were dumped out of Europe.

Joelinton, who scored the opener, which, at one point, looked like it could send Newcastle through, has detailed the sadness he feels that the side weren’t able to progress for the fans, who’ve been very supportive over the past few years.

“I think that’s it. After a year with the new owners, we managed to reach a final, we managed to bring the team back to the Champions League. Today we’ve taken a step back, but that’s life, sometimes you have to go back to climb another step. And the fans have been incredible since the owners arrived,” Joelinton told TNT Sports Brazil.

“They’ve been so supportive in every game, home and away. It was very sad not to be able to give them this qualification. But as you saw, they were on our side. That’s it. I think the affection they have for us remains.

“I think they saw that we tried, that we fought the whole competition. That every game we go out on the pitch, we go out to do our best. And they recognise that. And for us there’s this motivation, this desire to go again in the next game and try to give them the win.”

Indeed, while Newcastle bowed out in the Champions League group stage, there’s an almost palpable connection between the side and the fans which seemed to have disappeared under the previous ownership.