Newcastle United kicked off the Matthias Jaissle era with a hard-fought 2-1 pre-season friendly victory over La Liga side Valencia at Mestalla Stadium, with substitute forward Yoane Wissa stealing the show with two late goals.
Valencia drew first blood in the encounter, as Filip Ugrinic curled a stunning effort past Newcastle’s keeper to put the hosts ahead. The game took a pivotal turn just before half-time when Valencia captain Jose Gaya was shown a red card for a dangerous late tackle on Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga, leaving the Spanish side down to 10 men for the remainder of the match. Elanga, who had been one of Newcastle’s most dangerous attacking players before the challenge, was stretchered off the pitch in visible discomfort. However, Newcastle’s medical team has since expressed optimism that the injury is not severe, confirming the winger only suffered a bruised shin.
With a numerical advantage to exploit, Jaissle made key half-time substitutions that would turn the tide of the match. Wissa, who endured a difficult first season at St James’ Park, only notching three goals in all competitions, leveled the score with a cool, composed close-range finish after Valencia turned over possession. The DR Congo international, who earned confidence from his strong showing at the 2026 World Cup with his national side, then put Newcastle ahead, finishing calmly after fellow new signing Bazoumana Toure made an unselfish square pass across the penalty area to leave Wissa with an open goal.
The match marked the competitive debut for two of Newcastle’s high-profile summer transfers: Aladji Bamba, who joined from Monaco for a fee that could rise to £34 million, and Toure, who arrived from Hoffenheim for £43 million. Bamba, who played the full 90 minutes, showed glimpses of quality, looking comfortable on the ball and constantly asking for possession, though he was guilty of a few careless passing errors on his first outing. Toure, meanwhile, was instrumental to both of Newcastle’s goals, pressing Valencia’s Guido Fernandes into the mistake that led to Wissa’s equalizer before setting up the winner, showcasing the pace and awareness that convinced Newcastle to spend big on the winger. 18-year-old academy prospect Sean Steur also turned heads on his senior outing, looking far more mature than his age would suggest, keeping possession cleanly and showing great desire to get on the ball to earn an 8/10 rating.
Jacob Ramsey was the highest-performing outfield starter, notching an 8/10 after delivering a brilliant clipped through ball that would have given Elanga a goal if not for an offside flag, putting in an energetic display that constantly drove Newcastle forward. Several other young players also impressed: 19-year-old full-back Leo Shahar looked dangerous pushing down the right flank, while Malick Thiaw wore the captain’s armband on his 25th birthday in what many see as a sign of his key role in the club’s future under Jaissle. A few players struggled to make an impact, however: striker Nick Woltemade struggled to hold up play and influence the match in the number 10 role, earning just a 5/10 for his performance, while Sven Botman survived a scary moment where a defensive mix-up nearly saw him score an own goal, recovering well enough for a 6/6 rating.
For Jaissle, the result marks a positive first step in his tenure at Newcastle, as the German head coach begins implementing his vision for the club after taking over this summer. While the win provides a boost of confidence heading into the rest of the pre-season schedule, Jaissle has already moved to play down expectations, emphasizing that the project to rebuild Newcastle is still in its early stages.