Newcastle United picked up a comfortable win over Union Saint-Gilloise on Wednesday night.After losing their opening Champions League fixture to Barcelona, Eddie Howe’s men responded emphatically, securing a 4-0 victory.Former Burnley defender Ross Sykes was in action for Union SG against Newcastle, and the 26-year-old defender revealed his admiration for Newcastle in the build-up to the game.Sykes is a lifelong Newcastle United fan, and he explained just how meaningful this clash was for him.Newcastle duo on the verge of Champions League ban after emphatic 4-0 winRoss Sykes on Newcastle clashBelgian outlet Sporza quote the defender: “I was really hoping for Newcastle in the draw. It was a special feeling, I think everyone could see that. I was speechless. Now I get to play against Newcastle in the Champions League. I never could have imagined that.“Every time I could, I’d play football in the garden wearing my Newcastle shirt. Alan Shearer was the man back then. I’ve been in love with the club ever since.”The 26-year-old will be delighted to be playing in the Champions League with the Belgian club after failing to make his mark with multiple English clubs. He was deemed physically not strong enough for English football, but he has developed into a towering defender with a 6’5″ frame.More Stories / Latest NewsReport: 26-year-old reveals admiration for Newcastle after UCL clashOct 2 2025, 22:15Newcastle duo on the verge of Champions League ban after emphatic 4-0 winOct 2 2025, 21:52Report: Crystal Palace leading race to sign highly-rated 20-year-old attackerOct 2 2025, 21:30Sykes will hope for regular game timeRoss Sykes of Union SG is put under pressure. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)He will be hoping to play regularly for the Belgian club in the near future. The opportunity to compete against top teams from the Premier League will be quite exciting for him. He will certainly cherish these opportunities and look to perform at a high level in the coming months.Meanwhile, Newcastle will be delighted with the win against Union SG. They were beaten by Barcelona in the opening game of the campaign, despite putting on a strong performance, and they will be delighted to have picked up a morale-boosting away win in the European competition.The post Report: 26-year-old reveals admiration for Newcastle after UCL clash appeared first on CaughtOffside.