Barcelona delivered a stunning performance, dismantling Newcastle 7-2 at Spotify Camp Nou in a UEFA Champions League clash marked by Raphinha's double and Robert Lewandowski's clinical efficiency.
The Catalans secured a dominant victory, with Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, and Marc Bernal all finding the net. Newcastle's Anthony Elanga scored twice in a valiant but ultimately overwhelmed effort.
Barcelona entered this Champions League encounter aiming to assert their continental authority. They needed a decisive performance to solidify their campaign after a mixed start to their domestic season. Newcastle, meanwhile, sought a resilient showing in a challenging away fixture, having shown promising form with three wins from their last five matches.
The game exploded into life early. Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 6th minute, guiding a precise shot past the goalkeeper following a pass from Fermín López.
Newcastle responded quickly. Anthony Elanga found the net in the 15th minute, levelling the score after being set up by Lewis Hall. The visitor's joy was short-lived, however.
Just three minutes later, Barcelona regained the lead. Youngster Marc Bernal scored in the 18th minute, assisted by Gerard Martín, to make it 2-1. Joelinton picked up a yellow card for Newcastle shortly after.
Elanga continued to trouble the home defence, bagging his second goal in the 28th minute. Harvey Barnes provided the assist, restoring parity and putting pressure on the Catalan giants.
As halftime approached, the intensity rose. Pau Cubarsí received a yellow card for Barcelona. Then, Kieran Trippier was booked for a foul in stoppage time. From the resulting penalty, Lamine Yamal coolly converted in the seventh minute of added time, sending Barcelona into the break with a 3-2 lead.
The first half proved a thrilling, end-to-end affair. Barcelona, despite their lead, knew they had to tighten their defence to prevent further Newcastle comebacks. Newcastle, conversely, needed a stronger defensive showing and continued attacking threat.
Barcelona emerged from the dressing room with renewed vigour. Fermín López extended their advantage in the 51st minute, slotting home an excellent pass from Raphinha.
The floodgates then truly opened. Robert Lewandowski netted his first of the evening in the 56th minute, another goal assisted by the impressive Raphinha. Joe Willock earned a yellow card for the away side.
Lewandowski was not finished, adding his second goal just five minutes later. Lamine Yamal provided the assist, making it 6-2 and effectively ending the contest. Raphinha completed his double in the 72nd minute, capping a superb individual performance with Barcelona's seventh goal.
The statistics underlined Barcelona's dominance. They finished with 63% possession, 18 total shots, and 13 on target, far exceeding Newcastle's 37% possession and 5 shots, with 4 on target. Barcelona's expected goals (xG) of 4.29 against Newcastle's 1.44 further highlighted the gulf in performance.
This emphatic 7-2 victory sends a strong message in the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona demonstrated their attacking power, silencing critics with a commanding display at Spotify Camp Nou. For Newcastle, it was a harsh lesson, highlighting areas for improvement in future European encounters.
