Lewandowski and Raphinha double up as Barcelona run riot against Newcastle | Champions League

For some time Newcastle made this enjoyable however they didn’t make it via, all that hope giving technique to harm and remorse.

By the point the ultimate whistle went, the Camp Nou belted out the membership anthem and the damaged males in black and white trudged in direction of their very own supporters, positioned excessive above a scoreboard that confirmed 7-2, it appeared absurd to say that they’d performed their half, however they’d. In the long run, although, the most important evening of their lives belonged to Barcelona, who scored as many objectives as they ever have within the European Cup.

Eddie Howe had mentioned his facet couldn’t and wouldn’t shrink and, for 3‑quarters of their first knockout tie on this competitors, they didn’t. Not within the first leg, when it had taken a 96th-minute Lamine Yamal penalty to disclaim them victory. Not once they went behind to Raphinha’s purpose after six minutes of the second leg.

Not even once they went behind a second time after 18 minutes, Marc Bernal making it 2-1. It wasn’t till the third time, one other penalty from Lamine Yamal, that it grew to become a step to far. After which, it’s true, they collapsed utterly.

Lamine Yamal’s penalty, the final kick of the primary half, left Newcastle 3-2 down and so they will need to have wished it might have ended there. They by no means recovered psychologically from the blow and have been powerless to forestall Barcelona scoring three extra in 15 second-half minutes earlier than they added a seventh. That hadn’t appeared attainable after Anthony Elanga scored twice and so they had taken on their hosts.

Even with a superb Barcelona show after the break, even with Newcastle ruing their very own defensive complicity in defeat, it nonetheless felt just a little merciless that their braveness got here to nought.

Howe had promised Newcastle could be themselves and that meant going at Barcelona; the issue was that’s a sport Hansi Flick’s facet embrace, too. For all of the discuss of Cruyffian DNA, he has supplied a twist and constructed a staff keen to run and commerce blows in transition, life lived on the sting. That led to a frantic and immensely pleasurable first half that would have closed with both facet main. It additionally led, ultimately, to a purpose‑fest.

It began with a pointy flip from Lamine Yamal within the centre circle that brought on Malick Thiaw to slide, Raphinha sprinting free to change passes with Fermín López and bend into the online.

Newcastle’s response was swift, Lewis Corridor heading straight at Barcelona. Eric García got here too far to guard the defence however not far sufficient to truly make the problem, so Corridor performed it to Harvey Barnes and stored working on to the return ball. Via now, he bent it into Elanga to chop a pointy end previous Joan García to equalise.

Barcelona took lower than two minutes to guide once more after Lamine Yamal spun and was fouled. Gerard Martín nodded down Raphinha’s free-kick for Marc Bernal to attain from 5 yards.

Eric García was taken off quickly after due to an harm, however it might as simply have been an try to shut the area into which Newcastle had been streaming. If that’s the case, it didn’t work. Though Eric García’s alternative, Ronald Araújo, despatched the third of three consecutive corners aimed his manner into the facet netting, Newcastle stored coming and the second equaliser had a well-known genesis.

Corridor and Barnes, all the time incisive on the left, took benefit of Lamine Yamal’s misplaced backheel to arrange Elanga to attain once more, and shortly after Newcastle appealed for a penalty when João Cancelo lent on Elanga.

But if Barcelona have been rocking, they have been additionally rolling with this – an open sport that lacked management however had loads of area – and when Lamine Yamal dashed inside fantastically, they need to have scored. Raphinha’s shot was saved by Aaron Ramsdale, the ball in some way going via Robert Lewandowski’s legs. Lamine Yamal skied it from 5 yards.

Nobody might imagine it wasn’t 3-2 then, however with the final kick of the half it was. A stunning move from Lamine Yamal discovered López to drag again and, coming on the far publish, Raphinha was pulled again by Kieran Trippier. Ultimately, through the VAR display, François Letexier gave the penalty from which Lamine Yamal scored.

It had been an amazing contest, however quickly after the restart it was completed. Raphinha’s very good first-time move on the flip despatched López dashing clear to attain the fourth six minutes in and, 4 minutes after that, Lewandowski headed in Raphinha’s nook.

Nonetheless they got here. 5 extra minutes and beautiful footwork from Lamine Yamal took him away from Dan Burn to roll into Lewandowski for the sixth. The veteran striker had barely had time to place his masks again on after the celebration; now he whipped it off once more. Withdrawn shortly after, his work was carried out, however Barcelona’s wasn’t. Raphinha collected Jacob Ramsey’s misplaced move to make it seven.

Newcastle’s European journey had been good whereas it lasted, however now it was gone.