Newcastle boss Eddie Howe eyes revenge against Sunderland after Barcelona humiliation

Eddie Howe is channelling Newcastle’s recent Champions League heartbreak into a fierce determination to overcome arch-rivals Sunderland in their upcoming derby clash. The Magpies endured a crushing 7-2 loss to Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night, as they slumped to an 8-3 aggregate defeat and crashed out of Europe. Despite the dramatic exit from Europe’s elite competition, there is no time for the squad to dwell on their wounds.

The focus has immediately shifted to Sunday lunchtime’s pivotal derby on Tyneside. Reflecting on the bruising end to what had promised to be a special night in Spain, Howe stated: "I’ve got no problem picking myself up, it’s more the players. I’m able to move quite quickly through things, the game and the review process, to then think of the future very quickly.

" Newcastle were blown away by Barcelona (Reuters) He added: "Now it’s all about Sunderland, it’s not about what’s happened. It’s about learning from it and evolving and changing if we need to. “It’s about the next game and making sure we’re mentally ready, physically ready for what’s going to be a huge game for us and for the whole city, so I think that’s quite a good game for us to go straight into because there’s no time for any other thought than that.

" The stakes for this weekend’s encounter are exceptionally high, intensified by Newcastle’s 1-0 league defeat by Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in December. On that occasion, the Magpies failed to perform, succumbing to a Nick Woltemade own goal. While Howe did guide his side to a convincing 3-0 FA Cup victory against Sunderland in January 2024, he remains acutely aware of the significance of the upcoming fixture.