Newcastle United held their own for three quarters of the two-legged tie against Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16.
The Magpies had an answer for everything Barcelona threw at them for 75% of the tie. In fact, they were so good that Geordies were genuinely starting to believe that they could claim a huge European scalp.
That was right up until the last kick of the first half of the second leg at the Nou Camp when Lamine Yamal scored another stoppage time penalty. His second of the tie.
Newcastle failed to react to the psychological blow that it caused, and Barcelona turned on the style in the second half, turning a respectable 3-2 scoreline into a 7-2 embarrassment.
Joelinton was still trying to get his bearings after the game when he spoke to the Spanish press (via The Chronicle) as he admitted Barcelona’s midfield was simply too good on the night.
The big Brazilian was limited himself thanks to an early yellow card, but he spoke of the challenge Newcastle faced to press a side who move the ball “in an instant”, revealing how bamboozled they left him and his fellow teammates.
“You try to press a Barça midfielder and in an instant the ball is already in the hands of another.
“You keep pressing, but the ball disappears.
“In the end, you’re just running, and you don’t even know who you’re chasing anymore. They’re too good.”
That’s not exactly what you want to hear from one of your own players, but at the same time, he does offer an insight into what it’s really like to play against the likes of Pedri; one of THE most press-resistant players in world football.
We’d rather he be honest than delusional. If nothing else, it’s a stark reminder that there are levels to this game, and Newcastle, while we can mix it with the big boys, are still not there yet.
It’s not for a lack of effort. If anything, the fact that we were even in that position last night is a testament to just how good things are right now. Our squad is nowhere near ready to be taking on the likes of Barcelona in the Champions League knock-out stages, but that’s where we were, and that’s down to hard work, determination and, be careful who you say this to … a good coach.
If the financial restrictions were loosened even a little bit, Newcastle could build a squad deep enough to go toe-to-toe with the big boys on a regular basis, but right now, one or two injuries can massively change the complexion of our team, and that’s the reality we have to deal with.