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Champions League Profiles: Barcelona (H)
11 Plays2 days ago
Michael provides something a little bit different today and provides a quick profile on Newcastle United's Champions League opposition - FC Barcelona.
For the best experience, we recommend watching the video attached - even if Michael's editorial skills need a bit of work!
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Transcript
Newcastle's Champions League Challenge
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Newcastle. Yeah, quite a journey for Newcastle fans. They are already facing some former champions, aren't they? Champions League nights are back, and Newcastle United have landed one of the biggest tests in European football as their first fixture.
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None other than FC Barcelona.
Analyzing Barcelona's 25-26 Season
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This is a club steeped in history, a club that has defined the Champions League for decades, and now they're standing in our way.
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In today's podcast, I'm going to be breaking down exactly what this Barcelona side looks like heading into the 25-26 campaign, their strengths, their weaknesses, and exactly what Eddie Howe's men will need to do to pick up just one point from this fixture.
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These two sides will collide at St James' Park on the 18th of September, and what a way to kick off a Champions League campaign.
Barcelona's Transition and European Challenges
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So let's set the scene. Barcelona right now, although being a truly fantastic team, they're still in ah a bit of a transition phase from but to be where they want to be.
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The Messi era is long gone. The club know that, but their identity is still... tied to that golden generation. They've been rebuilding through La Masia with pairs such as Pedro, Gavi and La Miga Mal, while also relying on experienced signings to keep them competitive, such as Robert Lewandowski.
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In La Liga, they've been battling Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at the top, but in Europe, they've failed to recapture that dominance. The new camp is still intimidating, but considering its current state, many Newcastle fans will be glad to host Barcelona instead of be travelling to Barcelona.
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And while their club aren't the unstoppable machine of old, they still have a lot of talent at their disposal, and it's going to be very difficult for Newcastle to get anything, even on home
Hope for Newcastle: Past Victories Against Barcelona
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turf.
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But last season, Monaco, Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan all picked up home victories over the Spanish Giants and the season before that Royal Antwerp and Shakhtar Zanex managed it.
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So it'll be a mountainous challenge but one that Newcastle can look back on and think others have done it why can't we and if they create a similar atmosphere to how they did against Liverpool in the second game of the season well anything could happen.
Barcelona's Playing Style and Vulnerabilities
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But before we go into the game a bit more want talk a bit more about Barcelona's manager and their tactics. Now, tactically, Barcelona are still, well, Barcelona.
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Possession is their DNA. They'll look to control the ball, dominate midfield and force Newcastle to chase. However, before Hansi Flick took over, it was spectacular.
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You hate to say it, but possession for possession's sake sometimes. Now, there's a real cutting edge to Barcelona. You can expect a 4-3-3 heavy focus on technical quality and quick transitions down the wings.
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The big question is whether their defensive structure can cope with the high-intensity pressing of sides like Newcastle United. Bigger and better teams have tried to do it and failed, but Newcastle are tried and tested against doing that against big teams.
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Barcelona will smother Newcastle with possession, but when they lose the ball, they are vulnerable. They conceded 66 goals in 56 games last season, including 13 in the Champions League phase.
Scoring Threats and Defensive Strategies
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Scoring against Barcelona, it's not the hard part. keeping them out is. They scored 28 goals in the league phase last season, eight more than any other club and its more than double of eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
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In fact, Barcelona had scored the same amount of goals on the road as PSG did in the whole group phase, partially down to scoring five against Red Star, Belgrade and Benfica, the latter of whom will also play Newcastle in this group phase. But if Newcastle let keep them out, they'll have to learn where those other clubs failed.
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So who are the key players at Barcelona that Newcastle need to keep an eye on? We'll start at the back. There's Ronald Arejo, who is powerful, aggressive, the heartbeat of their defence.
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If he's fit. He's the one tasked with dealing with Newcastle's movement. However, the versatility of Eric Garcia at right back will allow Alejandro Balde to effectively become a left winger, with Rafinha coming more central, becoming a real nemesis for defenders. So what starts off as a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 ends up with five attacking players, all because of that stability of Ronaldo Rejo and the versatility of Eric Garcia.
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And then in mode midfield, well, There's no surprise we're talking about Pedri. Pedri dictates the tempo while whoever's but next to him, whether it's Gavi or Frankie de Jong, will carry the ball and break the lines.
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Typically, Barcelona's midfield will have about 18% of their attacking play between them. If you stop Pedri, you very likely stop Barcelona's rhythm.
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But then up front, the balance is shifting.
Key Players: Araujo, Pedri, Lewandowski
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Lewandowski may still be the experienced striker who can score 50 goals in a season, but the real excitement is around Lamin Yamal.
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He's a teenager, yet he still achieved what many veteran players could only dream. When you were a child and you dreamed of your dream career, it would have started much like Lamin Yamal's.
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He is very quickly becoming the next global superstar and many Newcastle fans are already terrified or excited about seeing him at St. James' Park. Newcastle will try and double up on Yamal, but when they do that, there are four other attacking players just waiting for their ability their opportunity to put Newcastle at the sword.
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Barcelona's pace, skill and fearlessness in attack will be an absolute nightmare for any team, Newcastle United included.
Midfield and Defensive Showdowns
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In regards to the tactical mashup between the the two teams, it's going to be a fascinating and tactical battle.
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um And I think it'll be one of the most interesting battles in the Champions League. Barcelona are going to want to slow the game down, keep possession and draw Newcastle into chase and shadows. But we've seen already Newcastle United thrive on chaos.
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And arguably, when the chips are against them, they perform even better. Eddie Howe's pressing system, the intensity of that midfield, The physical edge in duels, all of that is designed to unsettle possession-based sides.
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And no side fits possession-based better than Barcelona. So the midfield battle is going to be absolutely fascinating. Bruno Gamanes and Joe Linton will be snapping into tackles, trying to disrupt that possession-based play, while Pedri and De Jong will very likely look to do what they've done to every midfield they've ah almost ever come up against and make them look silly.
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They'll pass around them and then you'll have the central midfield partnership turn around and go, well, hang on, where's the ball gone? um But If anyone can stop that transition and that attack in play, it's Sandro Tonali.
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He'll make most of any loose balls due to Newcastle's press, and then he'll be able to knock the ball out wide, where the biggest battles are going to come during the game. Can Newcastle's full-backs contain the flair of Barcelona's wingers while still supporting the Newcastle attack?
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Lewis Hall and Tino Livermento are two of the best Definitely in the Premier League. I'm not sure about the world. I would definitely have them in the top 10 at doing that exact thing. But after silencing some of the best in the world in the Premier League,
00:07:58
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Silencing the best in the world in La Liga is a completely different thing entirely. This match, I think, will settle and be decided on those duels.
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And then you have to sort of and consider the intangibles as well. The history. The aura. bocelona all Barcelona Cheers, Michael. on ah They walk into the Champions League with the weight of five European Cup behind them.
00:08:27
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But St. James' Park under the lights can be a very daunting fixture in its own way. Not quite as much as the Nou Camp when you travel there for the first time, but Newcastle know how to put on a show.
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The atmosphere can create some of the fear fiercest in Europe and Barcelona's young stars might turn up and think, all right, i want to be I want a piece of this, oh they can go, I wasn't expecting it to be this bad.
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The imitation intimidation factor could flip the script, but the team will also need to match that intensity if they're going to get anything from arguably Spain's greatest team.
Exploiting Opportunities Against Barcelona
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Barcelona have faced the yellow wall, El Clásicos and the San Siro last year in a semi-final. They're not going to face St. James' Park. but they'll certainly know they've been in a battle and they'll certainly know to expect one.
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So what's the verdict? Barcelona are still a top-tier European side. Technically brilliant, dangerous going forward, and with a midfield that can run the show if you give them five seconds.
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They're not invincible though. This isn't Pique, Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar, Suarez. But if Newcastle bring the intensity, play with courage and lean on the crowd,
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There's no reason why Newcastle can't get something on the opening day of the Champions League campaign.
Dreams and Expectations: Newcastle Fans' Perspective
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Should we expect it? Absolutely not. Barcelona are the favourites in every almost every game they play and they will be.
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When they play Newcastle as well. Newcastle can dare to dream. This is going to be a massive clash of styles. A class of cultures. And honestly. One of the most exciting fixtures. In the league phase for both teams.
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But what do you think? Can Newcastle shock Barcelona? will the Catalans just be simply too strong? Let me know your predictions down in the comments. If you're buzzing for Champions League nights at St James's once again.
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Hit that like button. And don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more previews, match breakdowns every single day. There is a reason we're called the Daily Newcastle.
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But the Champions League is back. Newcastle are here to make a statement. And quite frankly, I can't wait.