Archive
Gutierrez Calls For High-Tempo Start
Written by Newcastle Utd
Newcastle have fared far better on their travels in Europe than in the Premier League, and Jonas Gutierrez is hoping for another good away result at Benfica
By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter
They may have won just once away from home in the Barclays Premier League this season but in the Europa League, Newcastle have excelled on their travels.
However, Jonas Gutierrez insists that the Magpies must learn lessons from last weekend's 4-0 league defeat at Manchester City if they are to get a result at the Estadio da Luz against Portuguese giants Benfica.
United were slow out of the blocks at the Etihad Stadium and allowed Roberto Mancini's men to build up a head of steam which eventually saw them net twice in quick succession shortly before the break, then add two more in the second half.
That means January's win at Aston Villa is still their only domestic success on the road this term, but Alan Pardew's side have largely got it right away from St. James' Park in continental competition.
The Magpies began their European adventure with a 1-1 draw in Greece against Atromitos before reaching the group stages with a 1-0 win on Tyneside, then drew at Maritimo and Club Brugge in their first two group D away games.
Newcastle had already qualified for the knockout stages when they suffered their only European defeat, 2-0 at Bordeaux, but won 1-0 at Metalist Kharkiv in the round of 32 before picking up an excellent 0-0 draw away to Anzhi Makhachkala last month which meant Papiss Cisse's last gasp goal in the second leg was enough to reach the quarter-finals.
Gutierrez believes starting well is key, however, and told nufc.co.uk: "All the games are different so we have to be focused.
"What happened on Saturday, we have to learn from. We have to take something from the experience so that we don't make the same mistakes in the future."
Jorge Jesus' league leaders have won 12 and drawn one of their 13 home fixtures in the Europa League since the advent of the competition in 2009 and Gutierrez said: "If we go and start the game like we did on Saturday, we might find we have the same problem because Benfica are a really good team.
"They are normally used to playing in the Champions League so they know what these quarter-finals are all about."
Tickets are available for next week's vital second leg against Benfica - click here to buy