Wissa ready for bigger role as Newcastle target Champions League knockout stage

Dec 9 - Forward Yoane Wissa is ready to take on a bigger role as Newcastle United look to qualify for the Champions League's knockout stage for the first time, manager Eddie ‍Howe ​told reporters on Tuesday.

Wissa, who scored 20 goals for ‍Brentford last season, returned from a knee injury to make his Newcastle debut as a late substitute ​in ​Saturday's Premier League win over Burnley, becoming the 1000th player to represent the club in a league fixture.

"He is ready to take on minutes. We have limited time between ‍matches for him to get fitness, but in those 20 minutes he showed what he ​is capable of," Howe said ahead ⁠of Wednesday's Champions League clash at Bayer Leverkusen.

"However we get through, the knockout phase is the target. It would be preferable to go through without a playoff, but the teams we have to face are ​in good form."

Newcastle, who have nine points from five matches in the Champions League, are just a ‌point below the top eight, who will ​qualify directly for the knockout stage. Teams who finish ninth to 24th in the league stage will enter a knockout playoff round to reach the last 16.

Howe's men are unbeaten in their last three matches, but their last Champions League outing ended in a 2-1 loss at Olympique de Marseille last month.

Leverkusen, who are a point below Newcastle, have triumphed in ‍their last two Champions League matches, including a win at Manchester City.

"Leverkusen are an ​outstanding team, true to their identity, so this will be a tough game," Howe said.

"Any team that ​wins at Man City demands your attention... I have watched ‌them in the Bundesliga, they are a very strong team, good at playing flexible systems which makes them difficult to play ‌against." REUTERS