Barcelona didn’t need the deceptive skills akin to this city’s notorious pickpockets to secure their victory. Newcastle willingly handed over the initiative, marking a disappointing turn of events for Eddie Howe’s team.

In this high-stakes match, the richest in Newcastle’s history, the team suffered a significant loss. They endured their worst European defeat, which severely damaged both their morale and momentum. The likes of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha took full advantage of Newcastle’s vulnerabilities.

After the match, Newcastle’s prospects look precarious, especially as they face the crucial Tyne-Wear derby on Sunday. The situation is further complicated by Sandro Tonali’s groin injury, a setback compounded by the team’s lackluster defensive performance.

Howe was left frustrated, believing his squad had rediscovered their defensive resilience only to witness a series of blunders. The defense faltered, and Yamal, alongside his teammates, capitalized on the opportunities. Raphinha, the standout performer, was a constant threat, eager to exploit Newcastle’s lapses whenever they ventured forward.

While Newcastle showed promise and precision in attack during the first half, their defensive frailties were exposed throughout the match. Of Barcelona’s seven goals, six came as gifts, wrapped in black-and-white missteps.

Barcelona earned a crushing 7-2 win on the night to dump Newcastle out of the Champions League

Eddie Howe’s side were cut apart in the second half after a competing well in the first

Robert Lewandowski scored twice in the second half as Newcastle’s challenge fell apart

Perhaps the most glaring error occurred when Jacob Ramsey carelessly played the ball across his own penalty area. Misjudging his pass, he inadvertently set up Raphinha, who seized the moment to score past a beleaguered Aaron Ramsdale. Unfortunately for Ramsdale, this wasn’t even the easiest goal Barcelona netted; the defensive calamities were numerous.

Poor Anthony Elanga, too. His two goals will be a footnote when they had threatened to be the headline act during a first half in which Newcastle went forward with pace and adventure. But so jamon-fisted was their defending, it did not matter what Elanga, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes did. They could have scored six, literally, and still lost.

Sunday’s visit of Sunderland feels even bigger now. There are ways to lose and this was not one of them. There is no way to lose this weekend, especially not on the back of such embarrassment on the biggest stage. The Champions League is gone now, as it likely will be next season, and the memory is as painful as it could possibly be.

 So, where to start with a five-goal first half that was as wild as the wind that blew in on kick off and never left this roofless bowl? Well, the very end, and the goal that effectively tilted the tie in Barcelona’s favour. Newcastle were finishing the half strongly and looked like scoring every time they went forward. The problem? So did Barcelona. 

With one last attack, a flick of Yamal’s left boot bent the ball around Lewis Hall and into space for Fermin Lopez. Not even the gusts could take this pass off course. Lopez then delivered through a vacant six-yard area. Why was no one there? Kieran Trippier, in a panic, had tugged at Raphinha. After a VAR review, a penalty was awarded and Trippier, perhaps because Raphinha would not have made the cross even with a free run, escaped with a yellow card. Yamal scored for 3-2.

Before that, in the sixth minute, Barcelona led when two Newcastle players, Malick Thiaw and Hall, slipped in the moments before Raphinha curled into the bottom corner. In fairness to Thiaw, a sharp Yamal turn had sent him for the chorizo, and that was why he lost his footing.

But, on 15 minutes, Newcastle were level. As expected, they looked to profit from Barcelona’s high line and the tactic was paying handsomely. Hall burst in behind on the left and crossed for Elanga, who steered back beneath Joan Garcia. Two minutes later and Barcelona were back in front. Answers on a postcard of Catedral de Barcelona as to who was marking first Gerard Martin and then Marc Bernal. The former, unmarked at the far post from a Raphinha free-kick, headed back across goal for his unattended team-mate to turn in.

Anthony Elanga equalised twice for Newcastle in the first half with Barcelona’s defence exposed

Kieran Trippier gave away a penalty for pulling back Raphinha on the stroke of half-time

Lamine Yamal beat Aaron Ramsdale from the spot to give Barcelona the lead for the third time

Fermin Lopez raced through on goal after a fine Barcelona move to give the hosts a two goal cushion on the night

But then, again, Elanga. Yamal coughed up possession – for him, this was an isolated splutter – and Hall found Barnes who centred for Elanga to finish. Game on, however, very soon deteriorated into game over for Newcastle when Tripper fouled at the expense of the penalty. Howe later admitted the moment changed the course of the match.

Newcastle came out for the second half in body only – coherent thought was left behind in the dressing-room. Let’s get through this quickly, just as Barcelona did to Newcastle. On 52 minutes, Raphinha sent Lopez clear and he finished with class and composure. 4-2. On 56 minutes, Robert Lewandowski headed in too easily from a corner after out-jumping Tino Livramento, who had barely jumped at all. 5-2. On 61 minutes, Lewandowski ran away from Thiaw and helped himself to a second. Thiaw’s attempt to block Yamal’s pass felt as futile as stopping a wave with your foot. 6-2. And then, on 72 minutes, Ramsey with the assist for Raphinha. 7-2. Pilot, start the engine.

On 90 minutes, referee Francois Letexier blew for the end without playing a second of injury-time. It felt like an act of mercy. Barcelona, by contrast, had shown none. 

Howe bemoaned the ‘individual errors’ that led to Newcastle’s capitulation. He said: ‘Our defending today was not on a level that it was just a few days ago at Chelsea (won 1-0). It started with the first goal when two players slip and then we concede from a set-play.

‘Then the big moment is the penalty. We should be going in at 2-2 with a great feeling. We’re very much in the tie, and anything’s possible from that moment. As it is, we’re going in on a negative feeling. I don’t think we defended the build-up well enough.

‘So as well as we played in the first half, when I thought we were outstanding in many aspects, there were too many individual errors within the performance to carry that great performance through. Really, if we had defended anywhere near the level we can, I think we would have been leading at half-time.’

Newcastle had not long been denied a penalty at the other end for a pull on Elanga, and Howe said: ‘In terms of the outcome (Trippier foul), is it a clear and obvious error? I had similar feelings to the one at the other end. Maybe it was a bit of a stronger call than our penalty, but it’s tough on us for one not to be reversed and the other is.

‘Psychologically, that was a tough one for the lads. Right on half-time, again the last kick, very similar to what happened at the end of the game in the first leg. And then they score quite quickly after half-time. Psychologically, we didn’t recover from that moment. The second half was tough. It was a painful experience.’