Borussia Dortmund is still getting used to life following Jude Bellingham as they prepare for their pivotal Champions League match against Newcastle on Wednesday.
Bellingham, who left childhood club Birmingham City at 17 to join Dortmund in 2020, transferred to Real Madrid this summer for over 100 million euros ($108 million).
The world has seen what Dortmund missed in the summer thanks to the England midfielder's performance in the Spanish city, where he has scored 10 goals in 11 games, including numerous late wins.
Dortmund, on the other hand, has had an odd start to the season.
Despite being undefeated in the league, the eight-time German champions have not impressed, frequently managing victories over underdog teams.
The 1997 Champions League winners are without a point and without a win after drawing 0-0 with AC Milan and losing 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Germans, who are now bottom of Group F, can't afford to lose at St. James' Park again.
Bellingham could wind up being the player Dortmund misses the most at a team that has lately seen superstar teenagers Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi, and Ousmane Dembele depart away.
He was a key member of Dortmund's squad that season, when they narrowly missed winning the Bundesliga for the first time since 2012. This was due to Bellingham's injury, which prevented him from playing in the final two games.
On the last day, he was on the bench as Dortmund drew 2-2 with Mainz at home, giving the championship to Bayern Munich on goal differential.
Bellingham was less of an attacker at Dortmund than he is at Real.
Dortmund brought in two internationals to replace Bellingham: Marcel Sabitzer of Austria and Felix Nmecha of Germany. However, the two lack the adaptability of the Englishman and are often more attack-minded.
As a result, the team has put on a few erratic and stuttering displays in which they have failed to capitalize on their abundance of offensive skill and exposed defensive midfielder Emre Can at the back.
- 'Embrace the fight' -
Newcastle lost three of their first four league games to open the season, but they have since improved. Their 4-1 thumping of PSG at home in early October is the clearest example of their recent success, which has put them top of the group.
"We need to take something away from (St James' Park)," Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel said after Friday's 1-0 win over Werder Bremen.
"We need to embrace the fight from the beginning."
The prolific Julian Brandt claimed to have phoned Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross, a colleague from Germany, seeking inside information on what to anticipate.
"Even though they had a very good game against PSG, we need to go there with confidence," Brandt said.
"The group is so competitive that anything can happen. We need a win badly."
"(It will be) an intense task – one we're looking forward to extremely," said coach Edin Terzic.
Nmecha is emerging as the player most likely to fill the Bellingham-shaped hole. He came through the Manchester City junior system and was a reported target for Newcastle in the summer before moving from Wolfsburg to Dortmund.
Against Bremen on Friday, he had his greatest performance in the yellow and black colors thus far.