Fan footage captures topless Newcastle supporters playing human bowling with pints in Milan rain

A little bit of rain was never going to stop Newcastle fans enjoying their trip to Milan.

The Magpies make their triumphant return to the Champions League on Tuesday evening – live on talkSPORT – after a 20-year exile.

Newcastle fans took over in Milan on Monday

Their ‘group of death’ campaign begins with one of football’s great away days: AC Milan at the San Siro.

On Monday, the Toon Army travelled to the Italian cultural hub in thousands and hit the town hard. Quite literally.

Fans were seen belly-sliding in the pouring rain in a game of human bowling with pint cups.

Like Sol Campbell’s never-ending slide tackle for England in 2012, Geordies defied physics as they glided through the streets of Milan.

Topless supporters hijacked the city’s world-famous fashion week and chanted: “Have you ever seen a Mackem in Milan?”

But while Newcastle supporters arrived as early as possible, Eddie Howe’s men took a different approach.

After training in England on Monday morning, the Magpies squad arrived in Milan less than 24 hours before kick-off after their flight was delayed due to weather.

Howe said: “It’s been a long day for us. An early start and a late finish. We have to be absolutely organised.

Howe’s preparations have not gone to planGetty

“It’s part and parcel of the job we do. This was a weather problem but we’ve been in similar situations in the past.

“We were sat on the runway for some time. As I say we are used to it. It is slightly later arrival than we would have liked but no big deal. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for us. So apologies for being late.”