"We'll see a different Barca in the return leg. We've had a lot of previous matches and injured players. [Marc] Bernal and Pedri are coming off a period of inactivity. We need to improve, that's clear, but the positive thing for us is the result. After being 1-0 down, it was fantastic to be able to come back and get a draw."
"We lost possession a lot. They have fast players and we need to be more careful with the ball. Barcelona managed nine shots overall, with Yamal's penalty just their second on target in the contest. As a team, Barca collectively lost possession 118 times, with Joan Garcia and Joao Cancelo doing so 12 times each, second only to Yamal's 20 times."
Barcelona drew 1-1 with Newcastle United in their Champions League last-16 first leg at St. James' Park. Harvey Barnes gave Newcastle the lead in the 86th minute, but Malick Thiaw's foul on Dani Olmo in stoppage time allowed Lamine Yamal to equalize from the penalty spot at 95:50. This was Barcelona's second-latest Champions League goal since 2003-04. Manager Hansi Flick acknowledged his team's poor performance, citing fatigue and injury concerns with players like Marc Bernal and Pedri returning from inactivity. Despite managing only nine shots with two on target, Barcelona edged the expected goals metric. Flick emphasized the need for improvement, particularly regarding possession management, as Barcelona lost the ball 118 times collectively during the match.
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