Newcastle United must be watching the Champions League and thinking ‘what if’.
Borussia Dortmund reached the Champions League final on Tuesday night after beating Paris Saint-Germain over two legs.
Both teams were in Newcastle United’s Group F at the start of the campaign – and now Dortmund could go on to win the whole thing.
It needs to be noted that Eddie Howe’s side actually started their European campaign like a house on fire by picking a point in Milan, before slapping PSG for four.
Those two defeats to Dortmund, which were justified on the night, now seem more acceptable given what they have gone on to do.
Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho, on loan at the German club, has inspired them to their third European Cup final.
Jamie Carragher noted how ‘anybody could have gone through’ in Group F given the calibre of teams that were involved, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (07/05/24 at 10:00 pm).
Of course, Newcastle fans still have the right to be annoyed and frustrated because that 1-1 draw in Paris should have been three points, not one.
Either way, Dortmund reaching the Champions League final probably highlights Newcastle, their manager and players more positively.
Newcastle United in the Champions League
“Great scenes there in the corner,” said Carragher about Dortmund’s celebrations after beating PSG.
“You think of the group they were in. It was the group that we all looked at and felt anybody could go through. Anyone can go out. In some ways, they were probably delighted to get out of the group.
“PSG was in there, AC Milan and Newcastle from the Premier League. That would have been the first goal. Get out of the group stages, then hope something can happen – what they have done since then is absolutely fantastic. It’s a great club. I was there last week. The energy in the stadium. They don’t buy the biggest players. They are a great advert for clubs who aren’t the elite. They get young players in. Sell them on for big money. You have seen what they have done with Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham. That’s the model of their club. They have lost one of the best players in the world in Jude Bellingham, but they may be coming up against each other in the final.”
Newcastle United maintaining their European status
Given the injuries Newcastle have had this season, and the Sandro Tonali situation, Howe was always going to face an uphill battle getting the team back into the top four.
But they can still secure a top-six finish, which would still be a huge positive and a step forward for the team.
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With three Premier League games remaining, it’s still in Newcastle’s hands because win all three, then they will be playing Europa League football next term.
One of those matches is a trip to Old Trafford to take on eighth-placed Manchester United – after their 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace, you would be shocked if Newcastle didn’t secure three points here.