Barcelona... 3 Newcastle... 1: After the rain in Spain, the pain in Spain. Bobby Robson endured both on his sentimental return to Catalonia.
A match that had to be delayed for 24 hours because of a waterlogged pitch finished as expected last night with Robson's young and suspension-affected Newcastle side being on the downside of Barcelona's 10th successive Champions League victory.
Barcelona equalled Milan's 1992 achievement, meaning Louis van Gaal hangs on to his job for another day at least, but Robson's team impressed going forward. Shola Ameobi, Newcastle's scorer, had a claim on man of the match.
At the back, though, it was a familiar anxious story and Shay Given had a bad night. There were two bad defences, but in Marc Overmars and Juan Riquelme, Barca had a superior cutting edge.
Ameobi equalised Dani's early opener, but Newcastle optimism was soon quashed by Patrick Kluivert's 35th-minute strike and then, finally, by Thiago Motta's 58th-minute header. After that, Newcastle were hanging on.
Newcastle's next match is at Bayer Leverkusen and is a must-win if they are to get back into the group.
For that to happen, Robson knows he must buy defenders when the transfer window opens.
It said something of the high turnover in players at both clubs that only one of the 22 men on the teamsheet started when the team last met here five years ago.
Barcelona's Michael Reizeger was the only player who began both games. He was to last only 14 minutes last night, departing with what looked like a knee injury.
Newcastle did use Aaron Hughes as a substitute for Philippe Albert that night - Kenny Dalglish gave the 17-year-old defender his debut - and he began at centre half last night. He was one of seven Newcastle starters 23 or under.
Missing due to their suspension following the Internazionale match, were Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy.
Their replacements were two 21-year-olds, Ameobi and Lomana LuaLua.
Defending deeply, Newcastle allowed Barca to set the pace and there were warnings even before Dani volleyed past Shay Given in the seventh minute.
From Frank De Boer, the ball went quickly to Xavi whose curling pass into the Newcastle area was steered sweetly by Dani across Given into the far corner.
However, Robson has instiled resilience at Newcastle and in the 24th minute they were level.
Nolberto Solano turned an unpromising run into a dangerous one by nutmegging Philippe Christanval. Suddenly, Newcastle had an opening and when Kieron Dyer ferried it on to Ameobi, the young striker showed coolness as well as skill to side-foot it back across Roberto Bonano.
But, just when it seemed Newcastle had established equality, Overmars tore upfield again.
When he reached the Newcastle box he cut inside and supplied Kluivert, whose instant shot was powerful but beat Given in the middle of the goal.
After 58 minutes, Newcastle's hopes were gone.
Motta outjumped Given to a Riquelme corner and the ball inched over the line as Dyer tried to boot it away.
"We lost to a freak goal in the second half when we were 2-1 down," Robson said afterwards.
"That cost us dearly. 2-1 you always have a chance, 3-1 just takes a bit of enterprise away from you. We never stopped, I'm just a bit sorry with the result."
BARCELONA: Bonano, Reiziger (Christanval 15), de Boer, Puyol, Cocu (Mendieta 16), Riquelme, Xavi, Motta, Overmars, Kluivert, Dani (Saviola 78). Subs Not Used: Enke, Gerard, Rochemback, Geovanni. Goals: Dani 7, Kluivert 35, Motta 58.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Griffin, O'Brien, Hughes, Bernard, Solano, Dyer, Speed, Robert, LuaLua (Chopra 84), Ameobi. Subs Not Used: Harper, Acuna, Jenas, Cort, Caldwell, Dabizas. Booked: Ameobi. Goals: Ameobi 24.
Referee: F De Bleecker (Belgium).
