Newcastle United thought they’d pulled off one of their most famous wins against Barcelona on Tuesday night, but a late Lamine Yamal penalty saved the Catalans. Eddie Howe’s men deserved to win after dominating proceedings at St James’ Park.
Harvey Barnes gave the hosts a much-deserved lead in the 86th minute when he got on the end of Jacob Murphy’s excellent ball into the box. The English winger’s celebrations were cut short when Barca won a penalty right at the death.
Malick Thiaw tripped Dani Olmo in the box and gave the visitors the chance to level the tie in the Champions League last 16 tie on aggregate. Yamal did just that, sending Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way, which means the two sides are level at 1-1 ahead of the second leg at Camp Nou.
Howe reflected on the draw, admitting he was frustrated that his troops hadn’t won. He couldn’t fault the performance with Lewis Hall, particularly impressing in his battle against Yamal.
Positives to take to Camp Nou
The young English left-back’s display was one of several positives Howe can take from the game. He was hailed by Wayne Rooney, who called him “brilliant” and said he “should be proud” of his performance.
The display from Howe’s team as a collective earned widespread plaudits. They were in control throughout, and Barca were extremely fortunate to come away with a draw.
Fortunately, Joelinton and Dan Burn came through the game without any disciplinary issues. They were at risk of missing the second leg due to sitting on two bookings in the Champions League.
That’s three crucial outcomes of last night’s match that bode well for the Magpies when they make the trip to Camp Nou. They clash with Hansi Flick’s La Liga leaders next Wednesday (March 18th).
No Bruno
It’s been a difficult season for Newcastle supporters who have watched their side struggle in the Premier League. That’s why Barnes’ strike against Barca sent the Toon Army wild and was a much-needed lift for the club, especially after losing 3-1 to Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round.
Bruno Guimaraes played no part in the draw against the Spaniards or the loss to Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens. The Brazilian midfielder is nursing a hamstring injury, which has kept him out of action since mid-February.
The 28-year-old won’t be available for the second leg against Barca, although this has long been known. He is likely to return in April, meaning he’ll also miss the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland on March 22nd.
On the bright side, Howe’s men have proved in recent weeks that they can come to the fore without their captain. They deserved to win on Tuesday night and became the first team to beat Michael Carrick’s Manchester United since he replaced Ruben Amorim in January.
