Solano: Magpies have eyes on Euro silverware

NEWCASTLE midfielder Nolberto Solano will take any trophy he can as he looks to help end Newcastle’s 37-year wait for silverware.

The 31-year-old Peruvian returned to St James’ Park in the last summer hoping to reprise the Champions League adventure he enjoyed during his first spell on Tyneside. However, the club’s fortunes have dipped since the 2002-03 season when they defeated the likes of Juventus, Dynamo Kiev and Feyenoord.

They have prospered in the UEFA Cup since, reaching the semi-finals and quarter-finals in successive seasons, and they will book their place in the knockout stage this time around if they beat Celta Vigo at St James’ Park tonight.

Solano said: “At the moment and especially how we finished last season, it is not enough. We have to be more consistent if we want to get back to playing in the Champions League.”

Manager Glenn Roeder will once again have to contend with a crippling injury list as he looks to seal a qualification which looked a tough proposition when the Group H draw pitched his side into battle with Celta, Fenerbahce, Palermo and Frankfurt.

Damien Duff will see a specialist today over his knee injury, while Craig Moore is likely to be sidelined for a month by a hamstring tear.

With Stephen Carr, Celestine Babayaro and Olivier Bernard all out, Roeder’s resources will once again be stretched to the limit as he attempts to protect his side for Sunday’s vital clash with Portsmouth.

That could mean another opportunity for misfit Albert Luque, who has been linked with moves to both Barcelona and Real Betis in the last week.

Meanwhile, Roeder has dismissed the abuse he received from a section of the home crowd at Arsenal on Sunday.

He said: “I do not need, three and a half years on, to be talking about a health problem I had.”