Lessons learned on a memorable night at St James' Park

IT was a night that promised so much but in the end Newcastle just weren't able to deliver the win the occasion ought to have deserved.

- By SEAN MCCORMICK

These are the nights the Toon Army have always craved. Their team testing themselves against the champions of Spain on their home turf.

But Hansi Flick’s side gave Eddie Howe's men a brutal reminder of the levels they will have to reach this season to compete in the latter end of this competition.

Newcastle were good without being great but, had Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes scored the gilt-edged chances Anthony Elanga created for them in the first half, they could well have still emerged from a difficult night with something out of the game.

On a night a lot of lessons were learned, here's a look at five key talking points from a memorable, albeit frustrating, evening on Tyneside.

CLASH OF STYLES CONFUSES NEWCASTLE

The midfield battle was an intriguing tactical battle. So many times we have seen Newcastle’s physically imperious midfield trio overrun their opponents but they struggled to get to grips with Barcelona's technicians in the middle of the park.