Newcastle United could have had it all against AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, but it was a night that ended with nothing.
The Magpies lost 2-1 to AC Milan, meaning they finished bottom of their Champions League group. Eddie Howe’s side are now completely out of Europe, which is a bitter pill to swallow after being so close to coming second.
At one point in the night, everything was going right. We were comfortably winning thanks to Joelinton’s wonder goal, while Paris Saint-Germain were not doing what they needed to do.
Then the landscape changed with AC Milan’s equaliser, with a draw only good enough for Newcastle to finish third. That would have seen them qualify for the Europa League, but the Magpies went for the jugular.
Howe’s side gave everything they had to get a winner, with players flooding forward in an attempt to reclaim the lead.
It ended up being Newcastle’s undoing, with AC Milan hitting us on the counter and breaking Toon hearts.
They were the team that got the winner, and Newcastle have been accused of being naive in those final stages.
That is a sentiment that Gary Lineker can understand, and he has now given his thoughts on Newcastle’s all out attack approach in the final stages.
Gary Lineker thinks Newcastle should have been less cavalier in Champions League decider
Lineker has spoke to Alan Shearer about Newcastle’s Champions League exit on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast. He has admitted that he thought Howe’s side should have been a bit more cautious with Europa League football still on the cards.
“I just thought to myself the Europa League would be a really good result for Newcastle because a) you would be massively proud of the fact you have stayed in Europe despite being in that group and secondly it’s a tournament I think you could conceivably win,” he said.
“Whereas the Champions League, in all reality, Newcastle are not ready to win a competition like that.
“So I just thought, and understandably so, because of the emotions of the night but I just thought if there was a little bit more – yes, try and get the winner but don’t just throw everyone forward so you are so open to the counter attack.”
Shearer added: “I was like you Gaz, I was thinking I don’t think the Europa is a bad spot to be in, finishing third in this top group. But hey, it wasn’t meant to be.”
Newcastle should have no regrets despite missing out on Europa League
I can see where Lineker is coming from, but it is easy to say Newcastle should have been a bit less cavalier given what transpired.
But there would have been big questions asked if the Magpies hadn’t gone for it. We were one goal away from making it into the knockout stages of the Champions League, and the team should never be criticised for going for it.
In the end, that approach cost us. But we went out swinging, in a group that we had no right to do so well in.
The Champions League has been a learning curve, and we acquitted ourselves well in the competition. Some mistakes were made, but there were also some marginal moments that went against us.
Howe and the players did us proud. Sure, Europa League would have been a great consolation prize, but I for one will not criticise Newcastle for giving it all they had to try and stay in the Champions League.
As Howe says, we are here to compete.
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