Matthias Jaissle has named his first Newcastle United team for the club's pre-season friendly against Valencia. The Mag reported the confirmed lineup, which sees several young players handed starts for the match in Spain on Saturday.
Jaissle, who took over as manager following Eddie Howe's departure, selected a side featuring summer signings and academy prospects. Goalkeeper Martin Hornicek starts behind a back four of Shahar, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman and Leo Pivas. The midfield trio is Ilaix Bamba, Aaron Ramsey and Harvey Barnes, with Anthony Elanga, Justin Woltemade and Will Osula forming the attack. The match kicks off at 9pm local time at the Mestalla.
The full matchday squad includes a mix of experience and youth. Senior figures like Joelinton, Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock are named on the bench alongside younger talents. Substitutes also include goalkeeper Mark Gillespie, defenders Lewis Harris and Amadou Toure, and forward Yoane Wissa. The selection offers an early look at how Jaissle plans to integrate new signings with the existing squad ahead of the Premier League season. Fans can view the full roster on our squad page.
This fixture is the fourth of a busy summer programme for United. They began with a behind-closed-doors 3-0 win over Darlington, with goals from Willock, Osula and Lewis Neave. A 1-1 draw at Gateshead followed, secured by an own goal. The most recent outing was a 4-1 defeat at Bristol City, where Harvey Barnes scored what proved to be Eddie Howe's final match in charge. After Valencia, Newcastle face Everton at Murrayfield on August 12 before two home friendlies at St James' Park against Bayer Leverkusen and Strasbourg. The complete schedule is available on our fixtures list.
Newcastle United's 2026-27 Premier League campaign begins on Sunday, August 23 with a home match against Liverpool. That is followed by a trip to face Tottenham Hotspur on August 29. The Carabao Cup second round draw takes place on August 10, with matches scheduled for around August 26. The summer transfer window closes on September 1. The early season run includes a home game against Bournemouth on September 5 and an away match at Leeds United on September 14. Supporters can track the team's progress on the standings page once the season is underway.
The club has sold all 2,000 official away tickets for the Valencia friendly, with more Newcastle fans expected in other sections of the stadium. Jaissle's team will look to build momentum before the serious business begins at St James' Park in three weeks' time.
