Article by Tudor Belivacă – Published Wednesday, March 18, 2026 10:36 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, March 18, 2026 10:38 p.m.
After a 1-1 draw with Barcelona, the “coçofenes” came to the Camp Nou with hopes, but in the second half they dissolved.
At the conference, the technician from Newcastle explained that the balance of the game was broken when the referee Francois Letexier awarded a penalty to the Catalans in the 45th+7th minute of the first half, with the score 2-2. Kieran Trippier handballed Raphinha in the box on a dangerous cross.
Eddie Howe explained where the balance broke in Newcastle v Barcelona: 'Tough blow for the lads'
“A painful way to be knocked out of the competition. It's very strange to try to summarize because in the first half we were very good. In the second half we didn't defend well and there were a lot of individual mistakes that cost us in the end. In the second half we weren't as good and they deserved to go through.
The penalty at the end of the first half was a heavy blow for the boys. Similar to what happened at the end of the tour game, they scored quickly after the break as well. Psychologically, we were unable to recover from that moment. The second half was tough. I need to watch the penalty one more time, when I'm calmer, to say something about it.
It is very difficult to play against Barcelona. In the first half we were in control. We won possessions, we had good counter-attacks. The first half was a good representation of how we play. On their first goal, two players slipped, the second was from a set piece. We gave them two goals.
We have an important game on Sunday, so there is no time to complain. We have to focus on that,” Eddie Howe said, according to TNT Sports.
