Eliminating Barcelona Will Save Newcastle United’s Season
· Yahoo Sports
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MARCH 10: Harvey Barnes of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James' Park on March 10, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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Newcastle United started against Manchester City in the FA Cup eager to make an impact.
Dumped out of last year’s winning competition by the visitors to St James’ Park, the team, backed by roaring support, heaped on the pressure—eager to make amends.
When Harvey Barnes opened the scoring, it looked like revenge was on the cards. Newcastle United has form for overturning City, even during eras when the club was less talented, so optimism was high.
However, after the frenetic pace of the first 20 minutes, the Magpies’ energy seemed to wane.
It wasn’t for lack of will; rather, the team just couldn’t sustain the intensity.
A possible reason for this may have been the midweek fixture, which cast a shadow over proceedings and began to impact the squad.
With a mouthwatering clash against Barcelona just days away, key players such as Anthony Gordon were protected as manager Eddie Howe sought to balance priorities.
Even so, the coach could not be accused of fielding a weak team. He called the game “the biggest in club history.”
He added: “There’s only 16 teams left [in the Champions League] and we’re one of them,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to grab a moment we may never get again. You never know what life brings tomorrow, let alone future seasons.
“We don’t want to waste that opportunity. We don’t want to kick ourselves or think: ‘What if?’ In my time here, just over four years, we have worked to get to this point. We want to try and get as close as we can to our very best.”
The match calls to mind the legendary late-1990s Champions League win over Barcelona, when Tino Asprilla’s hat-trick clinched a 3-2 victory at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe, then a teenage Bournemouth player, has only hazy memories of the game.
“I watched the game, but I don’t remember where I was,” he said.
“I assume I was at home. My memory is hazy of that time of my life because I was very focused on my playing career.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 17: Newcastle United striker Faustino Asprilla leaps between Barcelona players Nadal (l) and Sergi Barjuan to head the third Newcastle goal and his hat trick goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Newcastle United and Barcelona at St James' Park on September 17, 1997 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Allsport/Getty Images)
Getty Images“But you couldn’t not watch that game. It was on terrestrial television. It was one of those legendary games. You want people in future years to be talking about this team. Tino Asprilla gets the hat-trick, a couple of them from Keith Gillespie’s delivery on the right. I want our players to be talked about in the same way, 20, 30, 40 years later.”
It’s been a strange season for Newcastle United. The team hasn’t played that poorly but is far from matching last year’s success, when a decades-long trophy drought ended and Champions League qualification was secured. Progress this season is now seen as dependent on their performance against Barcelona in Europe, making the outcome critical to how the season will be judged.
Fans are frustrated that the expected global rise following the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund takeover feels farther away than ever.
They still trail the Premier League’s best, and bigger European clubs like Barcelona. Despite the challenge, many expected Newcastle to compete closely with these teams.
Manager Eddie Howe embraces the underdog role as he aims to defeat Barcelona.
“I think the underdog role, in my time, here has helped us,” said Howe. “It’s when we’re in that position where we feel the odds are stacked against. Now we are going to have to use every psychological tool we can to help us because we are playing a very, very good team. An outstandingly coached team. A top team.”
In the first leg, Newcastle nearly earned a historic win, but Barcelona salvaged a draw, keeping the tie alive for Spain.
Victory over Barcelona may not win Newcastle the competition, but it would validate this season as significant progress, which is crucial after recent struggles.
It’s a thought that seems to be in the mind of manager Eddie Howe at least.
“I’m desperate for the club to break new ground and to keep going in this competition having worked so hard to get here. If there’s a time for us to be at our absolute best, it’s in these two games,” he added ahead of the first leg.