Newcastle United in the Champions League: What to expect from the Magpies' group stage rivals

There was an audible gasp in the Montecarlo Grimaldi Forum as Newcastle United joined Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan Group F of the Champions League.

It was quickly labelled the "group of death" by fans and pundits alike, demonstrating the scale of the task facing Eddie Howe's men.

The three clubs are among the biggest in world football and each boast a host of national and international honours after years of success on the biggest stages.

However, the Magpies' opposition would not have been happy to see them emerge as their opponents. Newcastle were widely considered to be one of the strongest clubs in pot four and can cause an upset even if they go into the competition as underdogs.

Here's what Newcastle fans can expect from PSG, Dortmund and Milan as some of the world's best players get ready to grace the grass at St James' Park.

PSG

The star attraction of the PSG team needs very little introduction. Kylian Mbappe, who is considered by many to be the best player in world football, will pose a deadly danger to the Newcastle defence as he looks to inspire his club to their first Champions League title in the final year of his contract.

With the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar over the summer, Mbappe is the Parisian's clear talisman, even if it looked like he too could leave during spells of the transfer window.

The French international scored 36 times in all competitions last season, helping the club to the Ligue 1 title and will be confident of adding to his tally against Newcastle.

However, it would be wrong to suggest Mbappe is the only player the Magpies have to worry about. Club captain Marquinhos has been among the best centre-backs in Europe over the last five years while Ousmane Dembele and Marco Asensio are tricky customers in attack.

There is no doubt PSG will go into the group as favourites but there is still hope for the Magpies. The club are still getting to grips with life under new manager Luis Enrique and constant murmurs of unhappiness within the camp mean that there could be points to be taken from them, particularly at St James' Park.

Borussia Dortmund

In Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle find a team in something of a transitional period.

The Black and Yellow were one game away from winning the Bundesliga title last season but failed to beat Mainz on the final day, handing the trophy to Bayern Munich.

England international Jude Bellingham was the fulcrum for much of their success last season but has since left to join Real Madrid, leaving the side hunting for a new star man.

There is undoubtedly talent through the squad in the shape of Nico Schlotterbeck, Julian Brandt and Sebastien Haller but goals have been somewhat hard to come by in the league so far this season and that could be set to continue against the Newcastle defence.

As a result, the Magpies may fancy their chances of taking advantage of this Dortmund especially if they meet them at home in one of the early matches.

However, the away fixture could end up being their hardest game in the group. The Signal Iduna Park has deservedly gained a reputation for having one of the best atmospheres in Europe and as a result, it can be a hugely daunting challenge for opposition players.

AC Milan

Much of the talk surrounding Newcastle's encounters with Milan will understandably focus on Sandro Tonali given he joined the Magpies from the Italian giants in July.

However, too much focus cannot be put on the reunion. Milan are still dangerous opponents despite the loss of one of their best players.

In Rafael Leao, the Rossoneri boast one of the most exciting attacking players in world football while veteran striker Olivier Giroud is always capable of scoring. At the back, Malick Thiaw and Fikayo Tomori are strong defensive options while goalkeeper Mike Maignan and left-back Theo Hernandez are among the world's best in their positions.

The club are the second most successful in Champions League history, winning the competition on seven occasions and underlining their credentials by making it to the semi-finals last season.

That said, the challenge of Milan will be one that Newcastle fans relish with a chance to visit the iconic San Siro for the first time since holding city rivals Inter to a 2-2 draw in the Champions League 20 years ago.

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