On the pitch, however, the Magpies endured another night of frustration after surrendering a late lead in their 2–2 draw away to Leverkusen. Eddie Howe’s side were moments from climbing into sixth place in the Champions League table when Alejandro Grimaldo struck an 88th-minute equaliser, cancelling out Lewis Miley’s header. The match had swung chaotically from one end to another. Anthony Gordon levelled from the spot after Bruno Guimaraes’ unfortunate own goal, and Miley, just 19, later rose to head Newcastle back in front, becoming the club’s youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history. But Newcastle’s vulnerability in the closing moments resurfaced once again, with Grimaldo getting the fourth goal of the match.
Howe, though disappointed, leaned firmly into optimism.
"We have to believe. When we started the Champions League campaign, if we thought it was going to be easy, I think we’re in the wrong competition," he said.
"You’re playing very, very good teams, we’re travelling, the game schedule we’ve got – all these things you add together makes it a challenging period for us, but I think the players are navigating it really well. We are playing with a clear identity and a plan. Before the international break, I was disappointed with a couple of the performances, so I think we’ve come back strong in that respect. We have it all to prove. The two games we have are very difficult games, but I believe in the group. Wherever we go if we’re near our best, we can win."
Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!