Chapter 11 Pre-Season (1)
The summer sun bore down on the streets of Edinburgh as Newcastle United prepared for their first pre-season friendly at Tynecastle Park against Hearts of Midlothian. It was a new era for Newcastle—Rafa Benítez, now armed with a bigger transfer budget and fresh faces, had been hard at work implementing his vision. A massive overhaul had begun at St. James' Park, and this pre-season would be the proving ground.
Inside the cramped away locker room at Tynecastle, the players huddled around a whiteboard. Rafa stood in front, marker in hand, calmly explaining the day's strategy. He had decided to debut his experimental 5-4-1 formation.
"Alright, boys," Rafa began, his voice firm but measured, "today, we're focusing on defensive solidity, but we're also looking at how quickly we can transition into attack. Dúbravka, you'll be the last line, but your distribution is key. If we win the ball back, I want the ball out wide as quickly as possible."
The lineup for the first half had Matthijs de Ligt partnering Ben Mee and Federico Fernández as the three center-backs, while Max Aarons and Alphonso Davies provided width as wing-backs. Rafa was keen to see how his new £50 million signing de Ligt would marshal the defense, especially with Davies, the explosive full-back signed from Vancouver, providing pace and energy down the left flank.
In midfield, Bruno Guimarães and Youri Tielemans were tasked with controlling the tempo, while Angel Di María, the star forward signed from PSG, started on the right wing, just behind Salomón Rondón, the lone striker.
As Rafa finished his briefing, the room buzzed with excitement and nerves. Angel Di María sat quietly, tying his boots, while Rondón flashed a confident smile toward Ayoze Pérez, who was sitting on the bench, ready to come on in the second half.
"No te preocupes, amigo," Rondón said with a wink. "Los desgastaré por ti, luego entras y terminas el trabajo."
Pérez grinned. "Mejor espera que no te canses en la primera mitad."
The players chuckled, but the tension was palpable. This was more than just a friendly—this was the first real look at the new Newcastle under Benítez's guidance. Max Aarons, the 18-year-old full-back, was one of the most nervous in the room, his legs jittering as he adjusted his shin pads.
Benítez noticed and gave Aarons a nod. "Max, play your game. Stay composed, and remember—speed is your weapon, but only use it when you need it."
Aarons gave a tight nod, his confidence slowly building.
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As the teams walked out onto the pitch, the stands filled with the sound of bagpipes, adding to the electric atmosphere. Fans from both sides were buzzing with excitement. The Newcastle supporters, though fewer in number, made themselves heard with chants of "Toon Army" echoing through the Edinburgh air.
The whistle blew, and the game kicked off.
From the start, it was clear that Rafa's 5-4-1 setup was all about discipline. Newcastle held their shape, denying Hearts space to operate, while the three central defenders—de Ligt, Mee, and Fernández—formed a wall at the back. Every time Hearts tried to penetrate, they were met with smart positioning and quick feet from de Ligt, who looked every bit the leader Rafa had hoped he would be.
"Look at De Ligt there," the commentator on Sky Sports remarked. "Just 18 years old, and already controlling that back line like a seasoned pro. Newcastle might've found their future captain."
Newcastle's tactic became apparent—sit deep, absorb pressure, and hit quickly on the counter. And in the 24th minute, that strategy paid off. Bruno Guimarães intercepted a pass in midfield, immediately sending a long ball out to Davies on the left. Davies surged down the wing, skipping past Hearts' right-back before whipping in a dangerous cross.
Rondón leaped like a salmon at the far post, heading the ball down toward goal, but Hearts' goalkeeper parried it away. The ball fell to Di María, who calmly slotted it into the net.
"GOAL! Newcastle lead, and it's Angel Di María, showing his class with a composed finish," the commentator called out. "That counterattack was exactly what Benítez has been drilling into them all week."
The team huddled together, celebrating their first goal of the pre-season. Rafa, standing on the sideline with his arms crossed, gave a slight nod but remained focused. There was still a long way to go.
For the rest of the first half, Newcastle's defense remained compact, forcing Hearts into long-range efforts that were easily dealt with by Dúbravka. In the final moments before halftime, Max Aarons showed his potential by making a critical interception and sprinting up the right flank, though his cross was too deep for Rondón to capitalize on.
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The mood in the locker room was relaxed but focused. Rafa stood before the players as they caught their breath, beads of sweat rolling down their faces.
"Well done, lads," Rafa said, his voice calm. "But we're not done yet. Hearts will come out stronger in the second half, so we need to stay sharp."
He turned toward the substitutes. Ayoze Pérez would come in for Rondón, and Isaac Hayden would replace Tielemans in midfield to give more steel to the center.
"Pérez, you'll be coming on to play off the shoulder of their last man. I want you pressing their center-backs. And Isaac, keep things tight in the middle. Win the ball and distribute it."
The players nodded, already mentally preparing for the changes.
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The second half began with a flurry of Hearts attacks. Rafa's decision to bring on Hayden proved crucial, as the defensive midfielder broke up several key plays and allowed Newcastle to regain possession.
Newcastle's counter-attacks continued to threaten, especially with Davies and Di María linking up on the left. In the 58th minute, Ayoze Pérez latched onto a through ball from Bruno Guimarães and fired a shot just wide of the post.
The game's pace slowed as both teams made further substitutions, but Newcastle's defense remained rock solid, with Ben Mee putting in a series of crucial blocks to keep Hearts at bay.
In the 75th minute, Pérez was brought down just outside the box, giving Newcastle a free kick in a dangerous position. Di María stepped up, and his curling effort forced a spectacular save from the Hearts keeper.
As the match wore on, Rafa rotated more players, bringing in Jacob Murphy and Paul Dummett for additional fresh legs. The game ended 1-0 in favor of Newcastle—an ideal start to pre-season, with the team showing discipline and flashes of brilliance.
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Back in the locker room, Rafa's face showed a rare smile. "That's how we do it, boys," he said, clapping his hands together. "Solid performance. But there's more to work on."
The players grinned, tired but satisfied with their first game under the new system. Di María, toweling off his face, gave Rondón a playful nudge. "See? I told you I'd finish the job."
Rondón laughed, slapping Di María on the back. "You're just lucky the keeper handed it to you on a silver platter."
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The second pre-season friendly, held at Deepdale against Preston North End, had a very different feel to it. Rafa opted for more squad rotation, giving players like Freddie Woodman and Jacob Murphy their chances to impress. The emphasis was still on defensive stability, but Rafa wanted to test different setups and see how his new signings adapted to varying tactics.
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July 22: Preston at Deepdale
The away fans cheered as Newcastle took to the field in their familiar black and white kits, but this time Rafa had decided to test out a more attacking variation of the 5-4-1 formation.
The lineup was shuffled: Freddie Woodman started in goal, while Fabian Schär joined Paul Dummett and Federico Fernández in defense. Max Aarons retained his spot at right wing-back, but Ben Mee was rested, giving Dummett the opportunity to play in the left-center-back role.
In the first half, Newcastle's defense was challenged by Preston's high pressing. Youri Tielemans and Jonjo Shelvey struggled to find space, leading to a number of misplaced passes. Newcastle went into halftime with the score at 0-0.