Nick Woltemade has responded emphatically to criticism leveled at Newcastle United's decision to sign him, contributing to their dominant 4-0 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise in the UEFA Champions League. The German forward opened the scoring in the match held in Brussels, adding to his impressive start with the Magpies.
Woltemade's goal came in the 17th minute of the match, deflecting Sandro Tonali's shot into the net. This marked his third goal in six appearances for Newcastle across all competitions. According to Opta, this achievement makes Woltemade the first Newcastle player to score on both his Premier League debut start and his first Champions League start.
The goal and overall performance served as an ideal response to comments made days prior by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who had criticized Newcastle's €85 million investment in the player. Rummenigge, referring to Bayern Munich's failed attempt to sign Woltemade, sarcastically congratulated Stuttgart for finding "an idiot" willing to pay such a high price.
Aside from Woltemade's contribution, Anthony Gordon scored two penalties, further cementing Newcastle's lead. Gordon became the first Newcastle player since Patrick Kluivert in 2004/05 to score in his first two matches of a major European campaign. Harvey Barnes added a fourth goal late in the game, completing a counter-attack and securing Newcastle's first away win in a major European competition since 2013.
The victory marks Newcastle's first points in the Champions League group stage. The team displayed resilience following their recent Premier League defeat against Arsenal, with Eddie Howe making strategic changes to the starting lineup.
Woltemade's early success is drawing comparisons to Alexander Isak, who also scored three goals in his first six games for Newcastle after his transfer in 2022. Woltemade's impact has been immediate, and he appears to be embracing the challenge at St James' Park. The win against Union Saint-Gilloise demonstrated Newcastle's attacking prowess and Woltemade's ability to contribute to the team's success.
