Novocastrian

One of the best in Europe according to Pardew They are dog toffee, shame we couldn't give them a game. Not sure who to blame, depressing.

Just got home after being "kettled". Anyone still think Benfica are world beaters? They were very average again. Unfortunately we were shite .

Were they drinking? Yes, Nicola Portuguese coffee!

Just met Steve Stone and some of the coaching staff in my local in Cascais. Wouldn't give out any team news but he said the team is in good spirits and feeling confident. They bought me and my mate a pint, cheers lads!! Next stop Lisboa.

You'd leave Sissoko out for Perch then? On this occasion yes. Don't get me wrong I think Sissoko is a far, far better player than Perch but I don't see a lineup we can put out tonight that will outplay Benfica so I think a defensive and physical XI is our best chance of getting something. Alan, shouldn't you be preparing for the game?

May i ask you why? Because i never heard any tourist saying he had a bad time in Lisbon or Portugal for all that matters. But i guess you can't please everyone. I'd been to Porto and thought it was very nice so looked forward to coming here. There was no one offering to sell me drugs on the street every 30 seconds or having to watch my pockets all the time there though. Lisbon is vey safe, much safer than most European capitals. Yes you need to take normal precautions but its a great place. The Portuguese are very friendly and love their football. I'm leaving the house now, couple of beers in Cascais and then train into Lisboa, hope to see some of you around, I'm wearing a no 10 Ben Arfa shirt and I've got a black and white Union Jack. Howay the Lads!!!!

He looked lean and mean at the weekend, seems to have found his mojo again.

I agree with the first part. I'm pretty sure Pardew is sitting right now going over his plan to go out for the 0-0 draw. Fearing Benfica on the otherhand, I actually fear them like I'd fear any team away at this stage of the competition. At this stage five minutes of madness can see you concede 2 goals and totally alter the whole tie. It's just as likely to happen to them as us in my opinion.

Las year we finish 1st in a group with man united How far did you get? Man Utd been in three finals in the last few years, as well as Arsenal, Chelsea x 2, Liverpool x 2 on top of a tougher league programme, no winter break Yiddish yardda etc etc Give over man! If you want to talk about european finals.... SL Benfica: 7 European Champions/ Champions League finals I've been in your trophy room, 22,000 trophies (some for cycling). Very impressive. Won't help you tomorrow when we unleash Shola. You have been warned.

Las year we finish 1st in a group with man united How far did you get? Man Utd been in three finals in the last few years, as well as Arsenal, Chelsea x 2, Liverpool x 2 on top of a tougher league programme, no winter break Yiddish yardda etc etc Give over man!

Portuguese league is a pushover. To compare the relative merits of Benfica and the PL "top 4" compare their recent Champs League record. Yes this year was poor for the English clubs but Benfica couldn't get out of a group containing Celtic and Spartak Moscow. M'lud, I rest my case.

Nice in Lisbon today, shorts weather for Geordies. Unfortunately it's been pissing down on and off for weeks so hopefully Thursday will be nice.

Not seen anything like that at any of Benfica's European games this season. The Spartak Mosow fans were swigging bottles of vodka just outside the ground, some of them were totally ball bagged and they still got in although I saw one particularly inebriated Russian get hoyed out the Benfica end for being too lairy.

Bayer? Bordeaux yes, definitely very limited, but Bayer not really. They're currently 3rd in Bundesliga, close to Dortmund and ahead of Schalke. I would say they are the 2nd/3rd best team we played so far this season. Barcelona / Bayer or Porto. But all of this is futurology. I hope Newcastle comes to Lisbon inspired and provides a good match. I'm certain you have talent enough to compete at this stage of Europa League. Well said Sir.

I don't care about what managers say, but regarding Rio Ave. Sporting 0-1 Rio Ave Rio Ave 2-2 FC Porto Rio Ave 3-0 Sporting Rio Ave 2-1 Sporting Rio Ave 1-1 SC Braga This season they drawn against Braga and Porto, beaten Sporting 3 times. Far for crap. Mate they are shite, I was at the Sporting Rio Ave game, Sporting are shite too. I was also at the Benfica Bayer and Bordeaux home games, it wasn't vintage stuff from Benfica and both Bayer and Bordeaux were poor. if we actually turn up you will get a shock.

Me and my mates from work could knock up a team and beat Rio Ave, be serious. Pardew is right, we can cause Benfica all sorts of problems, whether we will or not is another matter. I'm sure he was not disrespecting Benfica, he's not clever enough to do "mind games".

Gulf in class? Christ almighty, get some perspective. Benfica are a huge club. If you live in Portugal you would understand, they are an institution, a leviathan. However, the Portuguese league is s****, believe me I've been watching it all season. Apart from possibly Barca away Benfica have not been pulling up any trees this season in Europe, I've been to all their European home games. We have nothing to be afraid of, they have to come at us at their place, the fans demand it, and we can get a result. They are no great shakes, trust me. Very well, I'm no expert on Portugese football and interpreting their real strength. All the more exaggerated given how s*** our last game was. If we can maintain our recent European solidity and perhaps add a smidgeon of attacking invention (yes I'm aware Alan Pardew is our manager) we can get a result.

I guess it will depend on the policing arrangements. At Bordeaux, I think a lot of people went for a wander and there were bars etc close by. At Bruges, again I don't recall having to go straight into the stadium although I did but I don't think there was much else to do around the stadium. From my experience the policing is pretty relaxed and at all of their Euro games there was a mix of fans (Esp the Celtic game) in the home end. I'll be sat in the home end with some Benfica mates and a few neutrals and Toon fans I've managed to convert. Opposite the ground there is a huge fuck off shopping centre and in the food court upstairs you can get a few beers. Outside the shopping centre, just in front of the ground, are the 'bifana' stands where you can get beer in massive plastic glasses. I'll be hanging around there in the hour before the match. Once again there is a lot of mixing there and the home fans, in my experience, are a friendly bunch willing to swap scarves and have a beer etc, don't forget to buy your half Toon half Benfica scarf outside the ground, 5 Euros.

Gulf in class? Christ almighty, get some perspective. Benfica are a huge club. If you live in Portugal you would understand, they are an institution, a leviathan. However, the Portuguese league is shite, believe me I've been watching it all season. Apart from possibly Barca away Benfica have not been pulling up any trees this season in Europe, I've been to all their European home games. We have nothing to be afraid of, they have to come at us at their place, the fans demand it, and we can get a result. They are no great shakes, trust me.

Toon v Spurs 2-3 1985 Sure Beardsley scored 2 pens.

Yep, think it is an 8.30pm kick off UK time - are we on the same time zone? I will be watching that game on a stream. I see you are 1/3 to win - basically if you put £3 on you would get £1 back plus your £3 stake, Guimaraes are 9/1 at home Portugal/UK is same time zone. I'll be watching the game on SPORT TV. Must admit I'm a bit p*ssed off with Benfica TV getting the rights to PL games, means I'll need another f***ing TV contract Cancel Sporttv and sign with Benfica TV. Price of sporttv = 26 Euros Price of Benfica = between 7-10 Euros Yeah but how many matches can Benfica TV show? Sometimes SPORT TV has 3 PL games on at the same time. In fact I heard that the PL are going to stop overseas broadcasters from showing the 1500 Saturday games (traditional UK kick off). Which is a shame as it's a canny bonus if you follow PL and live abroad.

Yep, think it is an 8.30pm kick off UK time - are we on the same time zone? I will be watching that game on a stream. I see you are 1/3 to win - basically if you put £3 on you would get £1 back plus your £3 stake, Guimaraes are 9/1 at home Portugal/UK is same time zone. I'll be watching the game on SPORT TV. Must admit I'm a bit pissed off with Benfica TV getting the rights to PL games, means I'll need another fucking TV contract

We play Wigan away at 1600 tomorrow, Wigan away is one of our bogey fixtures so I think most Toon fans would accept a point.

Shame to have to retire at 23 but at least he'll not starve!

João Cancelo, Fábio Cardoso, Ivan Cavaleiro, Miguel Rosa, Nélson Oliveira... The problem is that Maxi Pereira, Garay, Salvio, Gaitan, John, Cardozo or Lima are better They are better in fact, but the Portuguese kids need a chance. When we sell those guys, we'll buy other foreign players, without giving a try with ours... What did you think of Fábio Faria? I sat next to him at the Gil Vicente game. Did he have heart condition or something?