"There's only 16 teams left [in the Champions League] and we're one of them. It's an opportunity to grab a moment we may never get again. You never know what life brings tomorrow, let alone future seasons. We don't want to waste that opportunity. We don't want to kick ourselves or think: What if?"
"In my time here, just over four years, we have worked to get to this point. We want to try and get as close as we can to our very best. Barcelona is the biggest game in this club's history. It's massive."
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has labeled Barcelona as the biggest game in the club's history ahead of their Champions League last-16 first leg at St James' Park. Barcelona, La Liga leaders four points ahead of Real Madrid, won their previous meeting 2-1 in the league phase and are treating the return fixture seriously despite rotating their squad in their last match. Howe has been motivating his players since Saturday's FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, emphasizing that with only 16 teams remaining in the Champions League, Newcastle must capitalize on this rare opportunity. He referenced Newcastle's historic 3-2 victory over Barcelona in 1997, when Tino Asprilla scored a hat-trick, encouraging his current squad to channel that same spirit and determination.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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