PSG face another long road to Champions League glory after Newcastle stalemate | OneFootball

UEFA didn’t deserve it, but the final night of the Champions League league phase delivered drama despite and even because of its infuriating safety nets.

While Jose Mourinho’s Benfica were beating Real Actual Madrid 4-2 with their goalkeeper scoring in the 98th minute to pinch the final place in the play-off round at Marseille’s expense, PSG and Newcastle were serving up a thriller as both teams hovered around the automatic-qualification places bestowed upon the top eight.

Both ultimately landed the wrong side of that line thanks to late winning goals elsewhere for the likes of Sporting and Chelsea.

But for much of the second half of this game it looked like a 1-1 draw might be enough for PSG. For much of the night it still kept them eighth, above their visitors by the slenderest of goals-scored margins.

And that for sure played a part in the curious spectacle of a second half in which Newcastle, possessed of the clarity that came with knowing only a win would do, looked much the better side as the champions, unsure whether to stick or twist ended up never really convincingly doing either.

Such an outcome looked a long, long way away in the opening exchanges. Familiar memories came flooding back for Newcastle as Lewis Miley was adjudged by VAR to have handled the ball inside the penalty area.

There was an undeniable air of ball to hand about his movements, but also a sense of frustration given the ball bounced towards him off Bradley Barcola’s arm.

It mattered not, though, with Nick Pope diving full length to his left to keep out Ousmane Dembele’s penalty.

The reprieve was short-lived, with Vitinha continuing to enjoy himself against English opposition in this year’s competition by smashing home minutes later.

At that point it looked like PSG would simply run all over Newcastle and secure the win they needed for a top-eight finish.

The champions played their own part in why that proved not to be the case, but Newcastle deserve huge credit for first staying in the game during those painful opening exchanges and then growing more and more into it as time wore on.

As PSG opted to slow the pace of the game right down rather than go for the jugular, Newcastle were able to get first a foothold in the game and ultimately something approaching control. The equaliser came from the Paris defence being entirely unable to cope with either Big Dan Burn and his little eyebrows or the run of Joe Willock to nod Newcastle level right on half-time.

As time ticked down, Eddie Howe gambled. Again, sometimes it’s an advantage to know you have to win without the added stress of second-guessing whether a draw might do.

By the time PSG realised they needed to find a winner, they were unable to flick the switch back on and go again. Newcastle sensed a chance. Anthony Gordon came on and there was more than a hint of Bale v Maicon about the way he tore Marquinhos apart on what were by now frequent Newcastle counter-attacks.

Harvey Barnes blew the big chance Gordon created, slicing wide and being flagged offside although replays showed that once VAR got involved the goal would have stood had he converted the chance.

Fun as it all was, results elsewhere meant ultimately a draw was no use to either team.

PSG finish 11th and Newcastle 12th to leave them both in the same section of the play-off draw, where they will each play either Monaco or Qarabag for the right to meet Chelsea or Barcelona in the last 16.

The draw for the play-off round will take place in Nyon on Friday.