SIR Bobby Robson warned Craig Bellamy last night that his Champions League return again Internazionale and Marco Materazzi will be the ultimate test as the striker tries to prove he is a reformed character.

The Newcastle United manager congratulated Bellamy yesterday for his "impeccable" behaviour in the three Premiership games that have followed his sending off for hitting Materazzi on November 27.

Gone is the incessant moaning at referees; in its place is a more placid approach that has enabled him to let his football boots do the talking with goals again Everton and Southampton.

But as Bellamy earned Robson's praise after appearing to have finally learned his lesson after his disciplinary problems, the Wales forward was told he will have to show he has matured on the European stage against opponents who will try to play on his hair-trigger temperament.

Robson used the example of Alan Shearer, banned for two matches for elbowing Inter's Fabio Cannavaro, to illustrate that even the most unflappable of characters can be pushed beyond breaking point by canny Continental players.

He said: "People will try to wind up Craig but he has to be careful.

"What Alan Shearer did was out of character, but it's something we all have to learn about in Europe.

"Craig has fire and he mustn't lose that. It's a form of nastiness without it being nasty.

"It's great to have in a player. It's like a tennis player who doesn't give up any points, or a boxer who has the knockout punch.

"It doesn't boil over with Alan Shearer but it does with Craig. Alan gets to eight and he stops.

"I've said to Craig: 'Less arrogance, more humility.' If he does that, he has a chance, and I think that's what Craig is doing now.

"He's calmer on the pitch, he's not disputing offside decisions or fouls like he did.

"His behaviour has been better and nicer - in fact, it's been impeccable - and I have actually complimented him on it.

"I told him that I'd seen him in the last three games and he never looked like getting booked.

"He's not snarling any more and that's the way he's got to be.

"What happened has hurt him. I think he's talked to himself and had other people talk to him, and I wanted him to take it on board, which he has.

"He's been very quiet and subdued in the last three games, but his play hasn't been subdued because he's got two important goals for us. I said to him: 'I've seen a slight change and I like it. Now keep it going.'

"There's no way he should get suspended now. He's going to miss six games through unprofessional acts and that's enough to lose. He shouldn't lose any more in the league."

Robson admitted he would not advise Bellamy to appeal against his suspension - his second Champions League ban of the season after he was punished for a headbutt on Dynamo Kiev's Tiberiu Ghioane in September.

The manager added: "Craig has been fined heavily for what happened against Inter. But the punishment fitted the crime and he accepted it."

Hugo Viana will have an operation on his dislocated shoulder today, with Robson expecting the Portugal midfielder to be out for more than ten weeks.

Robson said: "There were some doubts about whether he should have surgery, but when he had his second examination the shoulder popped out again."

Olivier Bernard is still doubtful for tomorrow's game with Fulham with the knee injury he sustained in Barcelona last Wednesday.

Nobby Solano could fail to displace Jermaine Jenas from the starting line-up, even if the Peruvian recovers from a bruised toe.

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.