Champions League

Newcastle 4-1 PSG: Magpies make dream start to Champions League campaign

October 4, 2023

In a spectacular return to the Champions League at St James’ Park, Newcastle celebrated a 4-1 triumph over Paris Saint-Germain.

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Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff, and Fabian Schar found the back of the net, making Newcastle’s first home game in Europe’s premier competition in two decades an unforgettable night.

Eddie Howe’s squad now leads what is widely considered the most challenging Champions League group in this year’s draw. With four points from their first two games, they hold a one-point advantage over PSG. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan earned their first point with a goalless draw in Germany.

The first-ever meeting between these clubs brought the sporting interests of Saudi Arabia and Qatar into direct competition. A Saudi takeover two years ago revitalized Newcastle’s fortunes, paralleling how Middle Eastern investments transformed PSG into the dominant force in French football over the past decade.

All Goals & Highlights: Newcastle 4-1 PSG

Before the game, PSG manager Luis Enrique cautioned that Newcastle was the last team anyone wanted to face from the fourth pot of seeds, and the Premier League side certainly demonstrated why.

Despite recognizing Newcastle’s threat, Luis Enrique courageously stuck with a star-studded front four, featuring Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Goncalo Ramos, and Randal Kolo Muani.

The outcome could have been different for the French champions if Dembele’s well-struck volley from Mbappe’s cross had found the net instead of narrowly missing early in the game.

However, once the home team, backed by an enthusiastic 52,000-strong crowd, got a grip on the match, they never let go.

PSG contributed to their own downfall with the opening goal in the 17th minute. A loose pass by Marquinhos was intercepted by Bruno Guimaraes, giving Alexander Isak a clear chance at goal. Gianluigi Donnarumma made an excellent save to deny the Swede, but Almiron was there to curl the ball into the far corner.

Despite the hundreds of millions spent on star players from both sides, there was a fairy tale aspect to the source of the second goal. Burn, who grew up watching Newcastle from the stands at St James’, worked his way up from starting his career in the sixth tier of English football with Blyth Spartans to the highest level of European football.

Donnarumma couldn’t prevent the giant defender’s close-range header from crossing the line six minutes before halftime. PSG, however, disputed the goal, arguing that a lengthy VAR review should have ruled it out for a handball by Jamaal Lascelles in the build-up.

Any hopes of a PSG comeback in the second half were extinguished within five minutes of the restart, thanks to another local talent from Newcastle. Longstaff sprinted onto Kieran Trippier’s pass and fired a low shot under Donnarumma, who should have done better.

Nevertheless, the French champions displayed some resilience by limiting the damage. Teenage midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery impressed in this intimidating atmosphere, and his delicate chip over the Newcastle defense found Lucas Hernandez perfectly, who headed the ball into the far corner.

Newcastle, however, sealed their historic victory in style, believing it’s just the beginning of their journey towards Champions League glory. Schar, from central defense, confidently advanced and unleashed a powerful strike into the top corner from outside the box.

In contrast, PSG continues to chase European success, and this match served as a stark reminder of how far they are from being considered favorites for the competition. They are off to their worst Ligue 1 start during the Qatari era and have won just four of Luis Enrique’s first nine games in charge.