‘We are ready to give them a fight‘ — Jacob Murphy sets tone for Barcelona vs Newcastle United | OneFootball

FC Barcelona face a crucial test as they welcome Newcastle United to the Spotify Camp Nou for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving the tie wide open, although the Blaugranes will enjoy home advantage in this decisive clash.

Both teams arrive in strong form after successful league weekends. Barcelona secured a 5-2 victory over Sevilla, while Newcastle edged past Chelsea 1-0, boosting their confidence ahead of the European showdown.

This confidence from the English team was on full display as one of their captains, Jacob Murphy, spoke to the media ahead of the match. As Mundo Deportivo reported, the Englishman is not intimidated by Barcelona.

Jacob Murphy, who captained Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Saturday in one of the most special matches of his career, highlighted the team’s belief after the Chelsea win, which came courtesy of Anthony Gordon’s goal following a brilliant run by Joe Willock:

“We executed the game plan perfectly. We scored a brilliant goal. Tino Livramento did a great job, Joe Willock made a great run, and made a great decision by finding Gordy. After the 1-0, the defense from all players was incredible. The four defenders, outstanding. The five midfielders, diligent. And Gordy worked extremely hard.”

Anthony Gordon, the match winner against Chelsea, is expected to start at Camp Nou after being a substitute in the first leg due to illness, while Murphy may feature in the second half.

Dan Burn and Joelinton are sure to start and were rested against Chelsea, giving Eddie Howe more options to field a fresh and balanced lineup.

There is no doubt that this tie remains wide open, and both Barcelona and Newcastle United will be gunning for a win to advance to the next round of the competition.