'Crazy' - Yoane Wissa makes Champions League admission as Newcastle United return date set
Yoane Wissa’s St James’ Park debut for Newcastle United could come in the Champions League.
Yoane Wissa can’t wait to make his Newcastle United debut, particularly in the Champions League.
Wissa was a £55million deadline day signing from Brentford but is yet to make his Newcastle debut after sustaining a knee injury on international duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The 29-year-old has already missed matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Barcelona and AFC Bournemouth, and will miss a further four games against Bradford City, Arsenal, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle United issue Yoane Wissa injury update
Wissa won’t be going away with Congo during next month’s international break, with the focus on him completing his recovery on Tyneside and therefore being contention for the trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, October 18.
Providing an update on Wissa on Tuesday, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said: “He's here, and he's receiving treatment, no operation needed. Yeah, I think we're looking at the other side of the international break. We hope he can be fit and available for that first game.
“It was [a] huge [blow]. I mean, you go into the new season with your squad and you feel you've got your squad sort of settled and you've got a plan. And then, of course, we didn't even see Yoane. He's come back injured. And that was a difficult one, having outlaid the money that we have.
“We knew that Yoane was Premier League ready, as it were. You know, he knows the league inside and out and has scored goals in it. But I think, look, it happened.
“We have to deal with it. I think, touch wood, it's not a long-term injury. We get through the next few games and then he'll be back.”
Yoane Wissa has already looking ahead to Newcastle United debut
Following the trip to Brighton, Newcastle return to Tyneside to host Benfica in their third Champions League group phase match. And it is that competition in particular that Wissa is looking forward to playing him, having failed to do so in his career so far.
“It was a big part in moving here but I said to my family if I wanted to play Champions League football, I would go elsewhere but I wanted to stay in England,” Wissa told Newcastle’s matchday programme ahead of last week’s Barcelona game.
“Newcastle came along with this project and I was thinking, even without the Champions League, I'd love to be a Newcastle player and play at St. James Park. I'm looking forward to making my debut.
“It's going to be a crazy feeling for me and my family and to play in the Champions League for the first time at the age of 29. It's another level and such a big stage of football so I'm very excited.
“Growing up, I always watched the tournament and there’s lots of memories such as Lionel Messi’s header (against Manchester United in the 2009 final) and Real Madrid winning lots of titles.
“It’s not the same just watching it. Being a part of it will be something different and I know how big it is in Newcastle to play in this competition. I watched the game against Paris Saint-Germain a couple of seasons ago, which was unbelievable.”