Pedri And Barcelona Show Newcastle United Champions League Standard

After waves of nostalgia subsided and Newcastle United’s raucous, special atmosphere calmed, FC Barcelona set about teaching a clinic. The Catalan giant’s performance at St James’ Park was far from the best it could muster, but was enough to demonstrate that, no matter how far Newcastle had come, it still had so much further to go to reach the level of the very best the Champions League has to offer.

There has always been something special about this fixture. Tino Asprilla, the former Newcastle and Colombia forward, was summoned back to Tyneside 28 years and one day after scoring a hat-trick in a famous 3-2 victory, while the statue of Sir Bobby Robson, who coached both clubs with great distinction, was draped in a scarf donning both club crests before kick off. Undoubtedly, there is great respect between both clubs, but if anything should be taken from the aftermath of the 2-1 defeat for Eddie Howe and his team, it was chances need to be taken when they arrive and failure will be punished.

Howe had spoken in the build up about separating business from emotion. After so much was made of the past before kick off, Newcastle had to prove itself in the present when the whistle blew. As expected, the atmosphere was incredible, the perfect backdrop to inspire a performance to match.

Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s teenage talisman and arguably the most exciting young player in the world, was absent with a groin injury, which fuelled confidence for a home team miracle. So often, Newcastle has responded to the big occasion and the deafening noise of its supporters.

Two years earlier, Newcastle had stunned the entire soccer world with a 4-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in what felt like a very similar setting.

With Yamal missing and a high defensive line to attack, Newcastle sensed there was a chance to repeat the magic of Asprilla’s finest hour as he watched on. Howe attempted to play to his team’s strengths by starting Anthony Gordon up front alongside wingers Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga in order to punish Barcelona for its perceived defensive frailties. It worked well early on, but with record signing Nick Woltemade on the bench, Newcastle couldn’t find the all important opening goal, which it was able to do against PSG. Ultimately, that proved fatal to its chances.

Barcelona weathered the storm and gradually asserted itself well before Marcus Rashford’s two goals secured the opening night win. Newcastle had to be clever and not allow the visitors to settle into its rhythm, because chasing Barcelona when it is comfortable and settled in possession is never easy. The narrative around Yamal had also taken away from the man who proved to be the true architect of Newcastle’s demise on the night: Pedri.

Nobody had given the Spain midfielder the respect he deserved before the game, and Rashford was always going to take the plaudits immediately after. But nothing Barcelona achieved would have been possible without Pedri and his partner in the middle, Frenkie De Jong. Their guile, control and ability to always be in the right position may have been understated, but made it look as though they were playing in slow motion. Even their smallest impact on the game was critical to the tide turning in Barcelona’s favour.

“With Pedri and also with Frenkie de Jong, it’s not easy to press us, and I think today both played a very good match,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said after the game.

“I’m very happy that they play with this confidence. We are a very young team, and I can see that the team is playing with that confidence, and for me that’s very important.”

There is a sense that Pedri’s brilliance is not fully appreciated outside Barcelona, much to the frustration of those who know he truly is among the very best midfielders on the planet. To fully see him, you need to really watch, but you would certainly notice if her wasn’t there. Barcelona’s of dominance simply would not be the same.

It was a tough night for Newcastle, but the lack of control and composure in midfield was one of the key differences to the PSG win. Sandro Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes are the brains and brawn of Howe’s set up, but there was a lack of composure from the start that developed into a lack of influence by the end.

What next for Newcastle United in the Champions League?

The Barcelona match was never going to be definitive for Newcastle, even without taking the now expanded Champions League format into consideration. There are seven games left to avoid finishing in the bottom eight of the 36-team league and midding out on the play-offs. The trip to Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise offers the perfect opportunity to bounce back.

In the near four years since the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover, Newcastle’s growth has been impressive and often defied expectation. But there have been moments of harsh clarity when its place has been made clear. Thursday night was one of them.

For all the emotion, passion and nostalgia Barcelona’s presence created, Newcastle was shown unequivocal evidence of how far it must travel to reach the very top.

Two years ago, being in the Champions League was seen an achievement. This time, progress is essential, and that means less emotion and more accountability. Pedri’s brilliance can be the bar Newcastle must strive to hit in the coming weeks.