Newcastle crash out of Europe in cruel end to Champions League campaign
Newcastle United 1-2 AC Milan (Joelinton 33′ | Pulisic 59′, Chukwueze 84′)
ST JAMES’ PARK — Newcastle United departed European competition on their shield on a night of giddy extremes at St James’ Park.
For 10 minutes they had dared to dream. A brilliant Joelinton goal had them in front and with Paris Saint Germain toiling, the golden ticket was in their grasp. But AC Milan swung back, delivering a pair of sucker-punches and a brutal reminder of the razor-thin margins for error at elite level.
It was a cruel, cruel conclusion to a campaign that has delivered high times on Tyneside. But Samuel Chukwueze’s late goal summed up their Champions League experience: they were exposed by fatigue, high-profile absences and flashes of inexperience.
Newcastle drained their reserves and should have no regrets. For 50 minutes they were unplayable – the St James’ Park Newcastle is the full-fat version and Milan looked sickened by their energy and intensity.
They have been on a steep learning curve in the Champions League’s most challenging group but it felt like cold, hard evidence of Newcastle’s improvement after they had looked so shellshocked at the San Siro in September. If only they had known what was around the corner.
Initially at least there was none of that naivety here as they pressed, prompted and pulverised last season’s semi-finalists. Anthony Gordon might have been inexplicably overlooked by Gareth Southgate recently but he has looked at ease in the rarefied air of the Champions League. In the first half he fizzed with attacking intent, Milan simply unable to handle his directness.
And what of Lewis Miley? He is barely old enough to get behind the wheel but the 17-year-old is so often Newcastle’s midfield driving force. Howe had correctly identified Milan’s engine room as something his side could exploit and Miley’s movement was a central plank of that strategy. It paid off in spades when his cute disguised lay off teed up Joelinton for a wonderful opening goal just after the half hour mark.
It was no less than Newcastle deserved at that point. Their European education has not always been easy on the eye – they clung on in Italy and failed to lay a glove on Borussia Dortmund – but here was proof they do not look out of place at this level.
Briefly the 5G signal crashed as a stadium jabbed smartphones to find the latest in Germany. Suddenly the pressure was on Parisian shoulders as Newcastle played with freedom.
They should have experienced that euphoria earlier. Miguel Almiron has the pace to trouble any defence in Europe but poise occasionally eludes him. Had he opted to go with his right foot after Joelinton had surged into the Milan penalty area, Fikayo Tomori would not have been able to execute a perfect, goal saving tackle.
The biggest lesson of the group of death? Anything can happen. And dutifully Milan roared back in contention just when Newcastle had dared to dream. The visitors had been unrecognisable for an hour and not just because of their bright pink change shirts. But when they started to play there was a tangible sense of panic around St James’ Park.
Their goal was well-worked. The experience of Olivier Giroud was critical to Christian Pulisic’s leveller, cannily dissecting Newcastle’s defence to tee up the former Chelsea man.
Suddenly the Europa League looked vulnerable. Fatigue returned to black and white legs and an uncharacteristic Tino Livramento mistake should have been converted by Rafael Leao. They didn’t heed the warning and Chukwueze sliced through their back four to end the European adventure.
