Interesting to read through these BBC Sport ‘neutrals’ comments, following on from Newcastle United drawing 1-1 at home to Barcelona.
A brilliant team performance from United that deserved so much more.
If they can play to those kind of levels over in Barcelona next Wednesday, Eddie Howe and his team have every chance of progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Harvey Barnes giving Newcastle the lead with four minutes of normal time remaining.
Then the ref, who had been so biased in favour of Barcelona, playing beyond the announced added four minutes and that allowed the late penalty that Yamal scored from.
The BBC Sport readers comments from neutrals, some from Barcelona fans, plus one or two Newcastle United supporters (and the odd Mackem) also contributing:
‘Unlucky Toon. That Hall lad had the beating of Yamal. You outplayed them. Unfortunate at the end, but a performance to be proud of.’
‘Neutral here. I was expecting to see some quality from Barcelona but they were awful. Lamal, Raphina, Lewandowski all totally anonymous. Credit to Newcastle who were far and away the better side and desperately unlucky to concede with the last kick.’
‘Lewis Hall was unreal.’
‘Unlucky Newcastle, better team on the night.
On a side note, Yamal had to climb out of Halls pocket to take the pen then acted like he was the man, if that’s the future talent of football after being made null and void all game by Hall then no wonder people are saying footballs finished.’
‘Football is not emotional.
You don’t deserve anything. You earn it by what you do on the pitch.
If you refuse to make your dominance or good performance count, and concede a silly penalty at the tail end, what you get is what you get
It’s not about deserving anything. It’s about getting what your performance resulted in.’
‘While there are clearly no arguments for whether it was a pen, it was 25 seconds after time, he should have blown before in my opinion. Barca were mediocre, hope Newcastle win the second leg.’
‘(Sunderland fan) Wow, a whole 25 seconds.’
‘It’s 25 seconds more CL football than Sunderland have played, mate.’
‘The game is still going as ball has to be kicked off before he can blow his whistle for full time’
‘The ref should be sacked after that.’
‘How does anyone know what the amount of injury time is other than a referee?
Every game people whinge about this. When a board goes up saying ‘5’ it doesn’t mean it is 5:00. There is equal chance that it is 5 mins 53 seconds or 5:45.’
‘newcastle unlucky tonight but hard to have any sympathy for such a club.’
‘Only if you don’t like the club because of other agendas. Most football lovers will have sympathy with Newcastle. The fact that you don’t is irrelevant.’
‘But the officials in Europe are supposedly excellent, it’s only PL referees that are a “laughing stock” and we should be importing European referees where VAR and officiating work perfectly fine.’
‘I used to think that the European referees were better than what we have but over the last 2 visits to the Champions League I think I’m wrong. Many seem to have agendas with ensuring the favoured few get through be any means possible.’
‘Why is it that years ago, fans of all English clubs wanted all the British/English teams to do well in Europe, but since social media, the tribalism won’t allow it? I’d like to see all British clubs succeed, not just the one I support.’
‘The agony of the ending but the lads played well all game.
We have a good chance in Barcelona if we continue to play, play with pride and simply believe.
Well played this evening, you did the team proud.’
‘Congrats Newcastle. Maybe, just maybe a miracle might happen in camp nou . I hope qualify for the next round.’
‘Very sorry that Newcastle didn’t win this game. They certainly deserved to. All not lost though…’
‘Gutted for Newcastle. That other lot deserved nothing from that game.’
‘If it was Barcelona ahead, we wouldn’t have got to the 95th minute.
Don’t you tell me the UEFA referees are not biased towards the Spanish teams.’
‘Newcastle were great – fancy their chances in the second leg.’
‘That ref is a disgrace. Should’ve blown the whistle when the clock was at the 94th minute when Barcelona started the attack on their half. What a gift for Barcelona and Newcastle worked very hard that match and only to be beaten by a faulty ref not blowing his whistle. What a joke!’
‘It wasn’t just the extra minutes added……he was a disgrace throughout!’
‘Thank you and well done Newcastle! A great performance and such bad luck with their equaliser. The only team to do England proud tonight. Now to stuff ’em in the 2nd leg!’
‘It was the best performance of any of the English teams tonight. And I’m not a Geordie or a Newcastle fan.’
‘One of the best and richest teams in Europe only managed to scrape a draw in the last minute of injury time, and this was the only decent performance out of the three English teams playing tonight.’
‘It’s not quite the mighty Port Vale we were facing but i thought we were the better team. Still it’s only half time and i don’t think Barca are the force they once were so anything is possible.’
‘Thought Newcastle well deserved the win, played Barca off the park. Hope we see you next season. Boro fan’
‘Would of taken that at the start of the match but its still gutting, how good was Ramsey tonight and Lewis Hall take a bow son , England’s left back for sure at the world cup.’
‘He failed to card 4 Barca players including Yamal in the first half. Yamal would have then missed the second game.’