At a glance
- Newcastle star’s first leg brilliance
- Overcoming their ‘curse’
- Finding the key to unlock Barcelona’s defence
The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg between Newcastle United and Barcelona at St James’ Park ended 1-1. A last-minute penalty from Lamine Yamal could prove to be a decisive point in the tie.
Eddie Howe’s men showed plenty of quality in the first leg and had enough chances to have put the Spanish giants away. Harvey Barnes thought he’d scored a famous winner when he scored late in the second half.
But Yamal came to the fore from the penalty spot, sending Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way. Heartbreak for the Tyneside giants, who were the much better team.
While it will be a tough test against Hansi Flick’s side tonight (March 18th), there are three main reasons why the men in Black and White can get the job done at the Camp Nou.
Lewis Hall impact
In the first leg, the Magpies’ left back Lewis Hall played a key role in locking down Yamal for 90 minutes. The Spanish sensation was denied throughout the match, and it was the first time in his career that he failed to complete a single dribble.
Following the draw, Wayne Rooney described the 21-year-old as “brilliant” after such a dominant display:
“I thought you were fantastic tonight. We spoke about it before the game, the challenge you had up against Lamine Yamal and I thought you were brilliant.”
| Lewis Hall VS Barcelona first leg | Stats |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Defensive contributions | 5 |
| Tackles won | 100% |
| Recoveries | 7 |
| Ground duels won | 37.5% |
| Clearances | 3 |
| Fouls given | 1 |
| Dribbled past | 0 |
Yamal’s fitness has been a slight concern for the Catalans ahead of the game. He started on the bench in a 5-2 win over Sevilla on the weekend. His replacement was Roony Bardghji, who lacks the output the Spanish international offers.
Hall will still look to demonstrate his defensive prowess in the second leg, but we could also see a bit more attacking input from him if Yamal isn’t at his best. However, Hall sets up, he is certain to give the La Liga leaders a headache once again.
Newcastle break their ‘hoodoo’
Tonight will be the seventh meeting between the two clubs. The St James’ Park outfit only have one win, which came the first time the clubs met in 1997.
Since then, Barcelona have won four, and the one draw was played out last week. Prior to the game, Howe’s troops were able to break a club ‘voodoo’.
They travelled to Stamford Bridge, where they met Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea side. Their last win came in 2011, with two famous goals from Papiss Cisse, which gave the Tynesiders a 2-0 win.
Howe’s men came away with an important 1-0 win as they look to push on for European football. Anthony Gordon scored the only goal of the evening, and he showed how important he will be after starting on the bench in the first leg.
It wasn’t just the result, though; it was the performance. Newcastle had fewer chances and less possession than the Blues, something they will expect against Barca, but they dug deep to come away with a significant result.
Barcelona high line
Since Flick took charge of the club, Barcelona have been notorious for having an extremely high line.
For teams that can’t find a counter to it, the Catalonia side will walk over sides. But those who find a way around it, the contest can become a lot easier, which has been shown at times this season.
Newcastle had several chances to give themselves a great lead heading into the second leg, but they couldn’t take it. Although when Barca played Chelsea in the league phase, the team from London hammered Flick’s side 3-0.
Anthony Elanga probably demonstrated his best performance in Black and White so far in the first leg, so he could be given the heads up by Howe this evening, while Gordon should be back to add quality from the left or as a striker.
The midfield and defence will also be crucial in getting the ball into the right areas and arriving late into the box.
Tino Livramento’s return could be vital in getting chances down the right side, while it also looks like Sandro Tonali will be on the side after missing the game on the weekend.
Newcastle’s attacking pace, combined with players who can release the ball into dangerous areas, will be the key to unlocking this Barcelona defence.
The Magpies know they are in for a tough evening against one of the best teams in the world.
Still, if Hall can have the impact he had on Wednesday, if they can learn from their Chelsea victory and if they can find weaknesses in the opposition’s defence, they could be on the verge of one of the most memorable moments in the club’s history.
