'They will be unstoppable over the next decade': Newcastle United humiliated as Barcelona score seven
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Barcelona tore apart Newcastle in a thrilling 7-2 win on Thursday (AEDT) to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals and extend Spanish clubs' dominance over England this month.
Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski each scored twice and Fermin Lopez finished a slick, scything move as Barcelona surged in the second half after the teams went toe-to-toe before the break.
"The president (Barcelona's Joan Laporta) is a happy man," Guy Mowbray said on Stan Sport's commentary.
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Lamine Yamal of Barcelona celebrates a goal. NurPhoto via Getty Images
"Maybe his words on being re-elected (this week) were absolutely right. Perhaps they will be unstoppable over the next decade."
Level at 1-1 after the first leg in Newcastle, Barcelona went ahead twice in the first 20 minutes and twice Newcastle soon levelled with rare goals from Anthony Elanga.
The Sweden winger had not scored in 35 previous games this season in the Premier League or Champions League yet struck twice in a 13-minute spell at Camp Nou.
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Anthony Elanga of Newcastle United goes down. Newcastle United via Getty Image
Momentum swung when teen phenom Lamine Yamal scored a penalty with the last kick of the half to give Barcelona a lead at 3-2 it would not give up again.
"They (Newcastle) certainly tested Barcelona at times in that first 45, but these games can get away from you so quickly," Andy Townsend said.
Last week, the 18-year-old Yamal's penalty deep in stoppage time denied Newcastle a first-leg win.
"A tough way to go out. It is hard to sum that one up as we were excellent in the first half," Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said.
"We were nowhere near those levels in the second-half. They scored quite quickly after halftime and we didn't seem to recover from that.
"Mentally it was a tough one to deal with. We have given them two goals and that proved a real deciding factor. We have no time to dwell, or feel sorry for ourselves, we have a massive fixture on the weekend (derby against Sunderland on Sunday)."
Barcelona has won all eight home games in the Champions League this season, scoring at least three goals each time.
Seven against Newcastle was coach Hansi Flick's best yet, started by Raphinha's sixth minute shot - finishing a move where two Newcastle defenders slipped to the turf - then 18-year-old Marc Bernal found space alone in the goalmouth in the 18th minute.
Barcelona's fast start to the second half saw Lopez run clear on to slick passes from Gerard Martin to Raphinha and score with a well-placed shot.
Lewandowski scored with a header then a lashed shot before Raphinha got his second, and Barcelona's seventh, in the 72nd minute when a Newcastle defender misplayed the ball across the penalty area.
Howe was the first Englishman to manage against Barcelona at the Camp Nou since Gary Neville, who lost 7-0 with Valencia in 2016.
"If we had defended the way we can, we would not have gone in at halftime trailing," Howe said.
"Then we conceded another set play. The first four goals were strange from us: you can't concede like that. The two set play goals are unforgivable in that they are regulation. That can't happen.
"I don't think psychologically we recovered (from Yamal's penalty).
"We have a massive game on Sunday so there's no time to dwell or feel sorry for us."
