The match began with a flurry of goals, as both teams traded four scores within the first 28 minutes. However, Lamine Yamal's penalty in the 45+7th minute put Barca ahead 3-2, shifting momentum. After halftime, Barca took control, with goals from Fermin Lopez, Raphinha, and a Robert Lewandowski brace in 27 minutes, securing a 7-2 victory and an 8-3 aggregate score to reach the quarter-finals.

Barca's dominant 7-2 win against Newcastle marked the largest margin in the round of 16 second leg. Despite this impressive performance, when questioned about the team's prospects as Champions League title contenders, Flick remained circumspect. "The next round will be very difficult," he stated. "We must take one step at a time. That is what we did last season, and it is what we will try to do this season."

Barca players celebrate a goal during their 7-2 victory over Newcastle in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on 18/3. Photo: Reuters

Barca is set to face fellow Spanish club Atletico in the quarter-finals, with matches scheduled for 7/4 and 15/4. The victor of this tie will progress to the semi-finals, where they will play the winner of the Arsenal - Sporting match. The remaining quarter-final pairings feature PSG against Liverpool and Real Madrid versus Bayern.

Barca's recent domestic encounters with Atletico have yielded mixed results. The Catalan club secured a 4-1 victory in the first phase of La Liga in 12/2025. However, their subsequent clash in the Cup Nha Vua semi-finals saw Barca suffer a 0-4 first-leg defeat, ultimately preventing them from reaching the final despite a 3-0 second-leg win. Historically in the Champions League, Atletico has consistently proven a formidable opponent for Barca, defeating them 3-2 on aggregate in the 2015-2016 quarter-finals and 2-1 in the 2013-2014 quarter-finals.

Last season, in his inaugural season as coach, Flick guided Barca to the Champions League semi-finals. Their campaign ended with a narrow 6-7 aggregate defeat to Inter, who then lost 0-5 to PSG in the final.

Reflecting on the Newcastle match, Flick acknowledged that Barca lacked sharpness, frequently losing possession and inadvertently creating counter-attacking opportunities that led to Newcastle's two goals. At halftime, he instructed his team to intensify their press, maintain possession, penetrate behind the defense, and launch continuous attacks. "The third goal was very important," the Barca coach stated. "It allowed us to regain control of the match before the second half."

Flick expressed satisfaction with Lewandowski's brace, particularly commending the 37-year-old striker's first goal. He noted Lewandowski's precise close-range header, scored amidst Newcastle's imposing defense.

During the game, Flick had to substitute goalkeeper Joan Garcia and defender Eric Garcia due to injuries. However, he anticipated that their issues were not overly serious.

Thanh Quy (according to AS, Marca)