Bruno Guimaraes is convinced that one day he will be lining up at St James' Park with the Champions League music ringing around the stadium.
That hasn't happened since 2003 on a fateful night when Partizan Belgrade won on penalties but the Brazil international was sold to Newcastle after assurances the Magpies will be back in UEFA's premier club competition. For now, though, Bruno - who looked sensational for 29 minutes against 1860 Munich - has urged for calmness and focus as the club prepare for their first full season under Eddie Howe.
After what has been described as an "intense" week by Howe and his staff, Bruno joked that he felt "dead" after being ran into the ground. But soon the focus will be on the Premier League and where Newcastle can finish.
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Bruno, speaking from the club's training base in Saalfalden, said: "This is only the beginning - we need to keep improving. We have played two games and we need to keep standards high.
"We can surprise some of the other teams, we have the quality I think we can do it. We need to work and do our best.
"Of course, we dream of the Champions League but I tell you it is step by step and we don't need to put pressure on ourselves. Today is only the beginning and the Premier League is the most difficult competition in the world so we need to stay calm, and eventually step by step we can arrive there."
Bruno arrived as a defensive midfielder but stunned supporters with a back-heel volley on his full debut at Southampton. A double strike against Leicester City also suggested that the club had signed much more than an anchor man.
When asked about his position, Bruno reflected: "I would like to play as a number 8, but I can play number 6 too. Last season I scored five goals but I am not on of the main goalscorers, my job is to concentrate on team play.
"If I can score great but it's not my job. I know the fans will put pressure on me to score, score, score but it has never been my job, if I can I will do."
Bruno will certainly be one of the first names on the team sheet for Newcastle this season as well as Brazil with the World Cup coming mid-campaign.
Bruno added: "It's a big year for me with the World Cup. To stay fit is the most important, and I'm not fit yet.
"I have only trained five days so far and I feel dead! Really dead! Saturday I will recover and I will feel really tired, but we know we need this. We know about the intensity and the physical demands are high but I am so tired."
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