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Your support makes all the difference.As if the sting of defeat in their opening Champions' League game was not enough, Newcastle United face the prospect of their striker Craig Bellamy being banned after headbutting Tiberui Ghioane.
Television picked up the incident in the closing stages of Wednesday night's one-sided mauling at the hands of Dynamo Kiev, although the incident was missed by the referee. Uefa confirmed last night that the matter was in the hands of its disciplinary committee and if found guilty the Welshman could face a similar ban to the three-match suspension given to Leeds United's Lee Bowyer after he was seen to stamp on Valencia's Juan Sanchez in last year's Champions' League semi-final.
This was not the only controversy to afflict Newcastle in the Republican stadium as Laurent Robert was seen to clash with Sir Bobby Robson's assistant, John Carver, at the end of the game after appearing to refuse to acknowledge the travelling support. His ommision and that of Nolberto Solano was a surprise, although the Frenchman yesterday played down his disappointment. "I did not expect to play," he said. "For me it is a matter of recuperation and being properly fit to face Sunderland and Feyenoord. I have played three games since I returned from injury and I'm getting better."
Newcastle are a talented but raw side who were brutally exposed by a Dynamo Kiev team that are supposed to be in transition. "They were a very young team last season and did well but the Champions' League is different to the Premiership," Robert said. "Every one of our errors will be punished. We must be more cunning, tougher and be mentally right."
Next Tuesday's fixture against Feyenoord may well decide Newcastle's Champions' League fate, although it should be remembered that an equally young and often naïve Leeds United side were ripped apart by Barcelona in their first match and recovered to beat Milan six days later. However, Leeds did not have an encounter of the significance of the Tyne-Wear derby sandwiched in between.
"It is very, very important for the club," said Robert, who needs to rediscover the sometimes scintillating form which propelled Newcastle into Europe if they are to start climbing from second-bottom in the Premiership. "For a young team, you cannot go into this kind of game unless you are mentally right and we have to make sure we are.
"My personal ambition is to repeat what I did last season. I came to Newcastle to be a winner; I hope to be able to take them into the top three. But I cannot do this by myself, it has to be a team effort."
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