Newcastle United’s second Champions League campaign under Eddie Howe began with a defeat against Barcelona.
Marcus Rashford starred for Barcelona against Newcastle United, scoring a brilliant brace to claim all three points at St James’ Park.
While Newcastle United certainly impressed at times on their return to the Champions League stage, the difference in quality was telling after the break.
Though Anthony Gordon pulled one back for Howe’s side, it never truly felt that Newcastle would fully turn things around.
Still, there are positives to take. Newcastle were largely brilliant in the first half, roared on by the supporters on Tyneside.
Indeed, Barca boss Hansi Flick was impressed.
Hansi Flick praises Newcastle United fans
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Flick spoke of just how much he enjoyed the atmosphere created by the supporters inside the famous old ground on Tyneside.
While he admitted his side expected that to be the case, he still sounded impressed.
“It was a fantastic atmosphere,” he said.
“We saw how Newcastle were playing with high intensity. It’s what we expected. We had the confidence and believed in our strengths.”
Newcastle United fans will not be enough
It’s brilliant to hear teams like Barcelona praise the atmosphere at St James’, there’s little doubt about that.
However, Thursday night proved that supporters alone won’t be enough. While perhaps harsh to compare them to Barcelona, the team looked reasonably limited at times.
Newcastle couldn’t fully feed off what their fans gave them in the opening forty-five minutes. Anthony Elanga was brilliant and, on another day, perhaps Gordon and Harvey Barnes would have scored from one of his crosses.
However, that’s been a front three that hasn’t worked all season. Though it improved against Barcelona, a striker’s instinct was profoundly lacking given Yoane Wissa was injured and Nick Woltemade was on the bench.
There will be more nights like that at St James’ in the Champions League, from the supporters at least.
Now, the team themselves have to play their part and improve. It was a reasonably positive start but that alone will not be enough.
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