Newcastle United Break Champions League Rules As They Prepare to Face AC Milan

• Newcastle United flouted UEFA Champions League rules even before they kicked a ball
• Eddie Howe's charges are set to face AC Milan on September 19 at the San Siro
• They, however, arrived late in Milan, past the set time for press conferences

Newcastle United broke pre-match UEFA Champions League stipulations on their return to the competition for the first time in two decades.

Eddie Howe's side are supposed to face AC Milan in their group-stage opener. They are in a group many consider the 'group of death', with Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund filling up the other spots.

The squad left Newcastle airport 2 hours and 20 minutes late, thus arriving in Milan. UEFA rules stipulate that a team must conduct a press conference between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. local time before the day of the match, as reported by Sky Sports.

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The Magpies started their journey at 5 p.m., but a storm swept through the airport and were forced to delay their flight. The press conference now started at 9 pm, two hours after it was initially expected to begin.

"It's just part and parcel of the job that we do. It's not out of the normal that that can happen. This was a weather problem, but we've been in similar situations. It's something we're used to, although it's a slightly later arrival time than we would have liked for the players. It's no big deal, though," said Howe.

The Mirror reports that the Toons could avoid punishment, given that the factors were beyond their control. There is, however, some disquiet that there was no communication on where the delay was until they landed in Milan.

Unmissable Champions League games

Sports Brief has also reported that the highly anticipated 2023-24 UEFA Champions League is now within reach, with European football's elite teams battling it out for the most prestigious club competition on the planet.

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Football enthusiasts have found it hard to shake off the resonant Champions League anthem, which chants, "These are the champions! Die Meister! Die Besten! Les grandes équipes! The champions!" from their minds.

As we approach the kickoff, here are the top five must-watch games for the opening matchday of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League.