Newcastle United are set to face 1860 Munich in a preseason friendly on July 15th, and the German club’s decision to agree to the match hasn’t gone down well with all their supporters.
The Magpies were bought by a Saudi backed consortium last year, and whilst many supporters welcomed the new ownership, and the departure of Mike Ashley, there was also widespread criticism about the potential sports-washing aspect of the takeover.
Newcastle’s new owners invested in the January window, and that helped them avoid relegation from the Premier League. Now they’re hoping to build on that, and this preseason will be crucial for Eddie Howe.
The 1860 Munich match will go ahead, despite criticism, and manager Michael Köllner has given his answer to those who are against the game happening.
Abendzeitung München quote him as saying: “You always have to be a bit careful when conducting a moral discussion. I find that difficult because you can find something wrong with everyone.
“In recent years we have always struggled to find good opponents.”
Newcastle are also set to face Mainz in a friendly, and a fan group related to the German club has published an open letter, asking for the match to be cancelled.
