'We can cause problems' - Eddie Howe warns Barcelona that Newcastle United won't 'shrink' in Champions League decider

Newcastle travel to the Camp Nou for what Howe previously described as the "biggest match in the club's history". The tie is finely poised following a tense 1-1 draw at St James' Park, where the Magpies were seconds away from a famous victory before a late Lamine Yamal penalty rescued Barcelona. Despite the daunting task of facing the Blaugrana on home soil — where the hosts have progressed from their last ten knockout ties after an away draw — Newcastle arrive in high spirits. A confidence-boosting 1-0 win over Chelsea at the weekend has left the squad in their best form of the season as they look to become only the fourth English side to ever eliminate Barcelona after failing to win the first leg.

Speaking ahead of the second leg, Howe emphasised that his players are now accustomed to the pressure of elite European football. "You can’t shrink at the size of the game, and I don’t think we will. We have got many players who have played in so many games now; we have become accustomed to it," the manager asserted.

After a Yamal penalty in added time denied them victory at St James' Park in the first leg, Howe will approach the second leg with confidence and said a win would be his biggest career victory: "It probably would be, yeah, but it’s irrelevant because that’s the outcome and we’re in the preparatory phase. We have to make sure our game plan, tactical delivery and individual performances are at the right level. We have another massive, massive game at the weekend [against Sunderland], so I don’t want to heap too much pressure on the players. I just want them to try to execute the best performance they can.

“We have many, many internationals in the squad so I don’t see [shrinking] as an issue. We have enough players who can cause them problems. We’ll enjoy the game, but we’ll only truly enjoy it if we deliver. I think we’re in a good place to do that, and the players are probably as confident as they’ve been in any stage this season."

For Kieran Trippier, the clash represents the culmination of a four-year project since his arrival from Atletico Madrid. The veteran defender, whose contract expires this summer, noted that a Champions League night of this magnitude justifies his decision to join the club when it was fighting relegation. “I got criticised when I left Atletico; I got a lot of negativity for a lot of different reasons, but I had my reasons and this [game] justifies it a bit,” said the defender. “I have no regrets, I never have with any decision in football.

“I never thought we would play in the Champions League, to be honest, and now we have been here twice. There have been two cup finals. This is where we want to be. There have been many special moments. Ten thousand Geordies are coming out speaks volumes: they have backed us in the tough moments.”

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