Barcelona didn’t want the crafty of this metropolis’s pickpockets to win, not when Newcastle merely handed over their pockets.
In doing so, Eddie Howe’s aspect misplaced the richest match within the membership’s historical past and at a heavy value, too. A document European defeat through which morale and momentum took a kicking on the toes of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. Their season now rests, very uncomfortably after this, on Sunday’s Tyne-Put on derby.
Barcelona, at their brutal finest, can do that to groups, after all. However Newcastle had been by no means prone to beat the Spanish champions when so decided to beat themselves.
That would be the annoyance for Howe, simply when he thought his group had rediscovered their doggedness in defence. This was extra like a canine’s dinner and Yamal and Co gleefully dined out on the generosity.
Overlook that Newcastle had been incisive and scientific in assault for 45 minutes – they had been dreadful in defence for 90. Of Barcelona’s seven objectives, six had been gift-wrapped with a black-and-white bow.
They saved the worst until final when Jacob Ramsey swept blindly throughout his personal penalty space. It was a defence-splitting move, albeit his personal defence. Raphinha accepted the invite to attain past an uncovered Aaron Ramsdale. Poor Ramsdale. That was not even Barcelona’s best aim. That was in all probability the sixth. Or possibly the second. Come to think about it, the primary wasn’t nice, both.
Barcelona earned a crushing 7-2 win on the evening to dump Newcastle out of the Champions League
Eddie Howe’s aspect had been lower aside within the second half after a competing effectively within the first
Robert Lewandowski scored twice within the second half as Newcastle’s problem fell aside
Poor Anthony Elanga, too. His two objectives shall be a footnote once they had threatened to be the headline act throughout a primary half through which Newcastle went ahead with tempo and journey. However so jamon-fisted was their defending, it didn’t matter what Elanga, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes did.
So, the place to start out with a five-goal first half as wild because the wind that blew in on kick-off and by no means left this roofless bowl?
Properly, the very finish, and the aim that successfully tilted the tie in Barcelona’s favour. Newcastle had been ending the half strongly and regarded like scoring each time they went ahead. The issue? So did Barcelona.
With one final assault, a flick of Yamal’s left boot bent the ball round Lewis Corridor and into house for Fermin Lopez. Not even the gusts might take this move off beam. Lopez then delivered by a vacant six-yard space. Why? Trippier, in a panic, had tugged at Raphinha.
After a VAR evaluate, a penalty was awarded and Trippier, maybe as a result of Raphinha wouldn’t have made the cross even with a free run, was let off with a yellow card. Yamal scored for 3-2.
Earlier than that, within the sixth minute, the hosts led when two Newcastle gamers, Malick Thiaw and Corridor, slipped within the moments earlier than Raphinha curled into the underside nook. In equity to Thiaw, a pointy Yamal flip had despatched him for the chorizo, and that was why he misplaced his footing.
However, on quarter-hour, Newcastle had been stage. As anticipated, they regarded to revenue from Barcelona’s excessive line and the tactic was paying off handsomely. Corridor burst in behind on the left and crossed for Elanga, who steered again beneath Joan Garcia.
Anthony Elanga equalised twice for Newcastle within the first half with Barcelona’s defence uncovered
Kieran Trippier gave away a penalty for pulling again Raphinha on the stroke of half-time
Lamine Yamal beat Aaron Ramsdale from the spot to present Barcelona the lead for the third time
Fermin Lopez raced by on aim after a high quality Barcelona transfer to present the hosts a two aim cushion on the evening
Two minutes later and Barcelona had been again in entrance. Solutions on a postcard of Catedral de Barcelona as to who was marking first Gerard Martin after which Marc Bernal. The previous, unmarked on the far publish from a Raphinha free-kick, headed again throughout aim for his unattended team-mate to show in.
However then, once more, Elanga. Yamal coughed up possession – for him, this was an remoted splutter – and Corridor discovered Barnes who crossed for Elanga to complete. Sport on in a short time deteriorated into sport over for Newcastle when Trippier fouled on the expense of the penalty.
Newcastle got here out for the second half in physique solely. Coherent thought was left behind within the dressing-room. Let’s get by this rapidly, simply as Barcelona did to Newcastle. On 52 minutes, Raphinha despatched Lopez clear and he completed. 4-2. On 56 minutes, Robert Lewandowski headed in too simply from a nook. On 61 minutes, Lewandowski ran away from Thiaw and helped himself to a second. After which, on 72 minutes, Ramsey with the help for Raphinha.
No extra Champions League soccer for Newcastle. After this, that is likely to be no unhealthy factor.
