Barcelona 7-2 (8-3 agg.) Newcastle: Magpies hammered after brilliant first-half spectacle

Newcastle's UEFA Champions League run came to a screeching halt on Wednesday, but not until after they traded haymakers (and goals) with the mighty Barcelona in a breathless first half, before conceding four unanswered in a 7-2 defeat (8-3 on aggregate) at Camp Nou. MORE — Champions League bracket, schedule For 45 minutes, Newcastle executed a flawless counter-attacking game plan against Barcelona's high defensive line. Every time they won the ball back, the Magpies broke into open space with one or two precise passes and off they went.

The only problem was that they left themselves just as open at the back and afforded Barca's brilliant attacking talent the same opportunities. Raphinha scored with a classy finish in the 6th minute, but Anthony Elanga made it 1-1 in the 15th. Marc Bernal put Barcelona ahead again from a corner kick just three minutes later, but again Elanga responded in the 28th.

There were chances going both ways the rest of the half, but Barca finally broke Newcastle's spirit with a third goal deep into stoppage time. Kieran Trippier pulled Raphinha's arm just enough that the Brazilian could go down and get the call. Lamine Yamal, just as he did in second-half stoppage time in the first leg, converted from the spot for 3-2 (4-3 agg.

). Six minutes after the restart, Barcelona's lead became two (Fermin Lopez). Five minutes later, it was three, and then four just five minutes after that (both Robert Lewandowski).