Football
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Rafa Benitez laments Newcastle's ticket allocation for Hull quarterfinal

Rafael Benitez has bemoaned Hull's decision not to increase Newcastle's ticket allocation as the Magpies attempt to reach a first cup semifinal since 2005.

The Championship leaders travel to the KCOM Stadium on Tuesday evening for their EFL Cup quarterfinal clash with their Premier League opponents having seen a request for more tickets rejected despite the likelihood that the 25,586-capacity ground will be barely half full.

Benitez, whose team will be backed by a travelling support of just 2,474 when the club could have sold that allocation several times over, said: "I would like to see as many of our fans as we can have there, but I can't control the policy they decide.

"Football now with a lot of TV has to be more for the fans going to the stadium, enjoying it and creating an atmosphere that will be good for the game.

"When you have an opportunity to have a lot of fans there at the stadium and you cannot do it, it's not normal. You see half the stadiums empty in Spain or 20 per cent occupied in Italy, and here when you have an opportunity and you don't do that. But you can do nothing."

The Magpies will be looking to reach the last four in a major competition for the first time since they lost 4-1 to Manchester United in the FA Cup in April 2005, and while promotion back to the top flight remains the priority, Benitez is aware of the excitement on Tyneside.

He said: "It is a motivation for us to play against a Premier League team. They are at home, so they have a bit of an advantage, but we need to go and show our levels and try to reach the semifinal.

"There are a lot of games during the season and we know we have to try to win every game."

Benitez will be without full-back Jesus Gamez, who may yet have to undergo surgery after damaging his collarbone in Saturday's 1-0 league defeat by Blackburn, but he otherwise has close to a full squad from which to choose.

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