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Lamine Yamal denied Newcastle United a priceless victory with the final kick of the game as Barcelona snatched a draw which sends them into next week’s return as favourites to make the Champions League quarterfinals.
The Spain international struck from the penalty spot in the sixth minutes of added time to cancel out Harvey Barnes’ 86th-minute opener after substitute Dani Olmo had been tripped by defender Malick Thiaw.
A 1-1 draw was harsh on the Magpies, who had enjoyed the better of the game and looked to have grabbed a precious advantage to take to the Nou Camp next Wednesday evening in front of Tino Asprilla, whose hat trick in a 3-2 victory over Barça in the same competition in 1997 remains one of the most famous nights in the Tyneside club’s history.
Eddie Howe’s men were left to lick their wounds but when the dust settles, they will be able to reflect upon a performance which made life distinctly uncomfortable for the five-time winners, who knew they were in a game on the night and will have to steel themselves for more of the same on their own pitch.
Just how different things might have been had Anthony Gordon not been reduced to the role of substitute by illness his side will never know, but his absence prompted Howe to make a big decision when he asked Will Osula, rather than big-money signings Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, to replace him.
Osula might have got the hosts off to the perfect start after being played in behind the visitors’ defence by Lewis Hall’s sixth-minute pass, but he delayed his shot and Gerard Martín recovered to block his attempt.
Barcelona started to make an impression as wide-men Yamal and Raphinha worked their way into the game and Pedri began to dictate from the middle of the field, and Dan Burn was relieved to see the ball roll wide of Aaron Ramsdale’s far post after he had got a foot to Raphinha’s 21st-minute cross.
Ramsdale tipped Yamal’s drive into the side-netting two minutes later, but Osula headed just over from Anthony Elanga’s cross after Burn had picked out Kieran Trippier with a raking crossfield pass.
Elanga saw a speculative 33rd-minute effort saved comfortably, but Fermín López whipped a snap-shot straight into Ramsdale’s arms three minutes later as Barça responded.
Garcia picked off Elanga’s inviting 57th-minute cross after Osula played him in behind Pau Cubarsí and then tried to get on the end of his ball, and Barnes forced a save from the keeper seconds later.
Robert Lewandowski steered Raphinha’s 66th-minute cross just wide at full stretch after the Brazil international had plucked the ball out of the air expertly, while Barnes’ effort eight minutes later came back off the woodwork.
He was in the right place at the right time to convert substitute Jacob Murphy’s cross four minutes from time to send the locals into raptures.
However, with seconds remaining, Olmo went down under Thiaw’s challenge and Italian referee Marco Guida pointed to the spot. Yamal made no mistake to break black and white hearts.
