Bruno Guimaraes did not hide his emotions after Newcastle United collapsed in dramatic fashion against Marseille on Tuesday night. What should have been a controlled and confident performance quickly turned into another painful away defeat, leaving both players and fans stunned.
Newcastle had taken a deserved 1-0 lead and looked comfortable, but five minutes of chaos early in the second half completely changed the game and handed Marseille a victory that felt like a punch to the gut.
Nick Pope’s disastrous error opened the door for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to strike twice in rapid succession, and before Newcastle could even settle back into the match, the damage was done.
Poor concentration, slow reactions, and simple mistakes at the back made the goals far too easy. It was the fourth straight defeat away from home in all competitions, and one that carried even greater weight because of how tight the Champions League group table is shaping up to be.
Bruno Guimaraes, who captained the side on the night, was visibly frustrated when speaking after the match. His disappointment was shared by every Newcastle fan watching, but the honesty in his comments showed how much the performance stung.
Speaking to BBC Newcastle, he admitted that the result was difficult to accept, especially considering how well the team had played in the first half.
He explained that the game was lost in a short spell that simply should never happen at this level. Newcastle were strong, aggressive, and in control before half-time, but the restart told a completely different story.
According to Bruno, the players had agreed in the dressing room to begin the second half with the same focus and intensity.
Instead, they switched off, lost their shape, and paid the price instantly. He described the moment as “shocking” and said he could not understand how quickly the team fell apart after the break.
The Brazilian midfielder also pointed out that this was not an isolated incident. It was the third match in a row where Newcastle had taken the lead only to throw it away.
That pattern concerned him deeply, and he stressed that the players must learn from these repeated mistakes. For a squad with ambition in both the Premier League and Europe, these lapses are not just frustrating they are damaging.
Even though his words were blunt, Bruno made it clear that he was not singling out one player. That included Nick Pope, who made the costly mistake for Marseille’s first goal. While fans might focus heavily on the keeper’s error, Bruno refused to place blame solely on him.
He reminded everyone that Pope has saved Newcastle countless times and that every player is capable of making a mistake. In his view, the entire team must take responsibility because they were all “sleeping” in the second half. The goals were a result of collective failure, not just one bad moment from one player.
His support for Pope echoed Eddie Howe’s stance, and it showed strong leadership something Newcastle will need more of as they prepare for another difficult away match this weekend.
The team travels to the Hill Dickinson Stadium to face an Everton side full of confidence after their impressive win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Newcastle struggled against Everton last season, failing to beat them in either league meeting, so Saturday presents another major test.
Bruno believes the game could have gone differently in Marseille if Newcastle had scored a second goal. He felt the team had chances to increase their lead and kill the match early, and missing those opportunities proved costly once Marseille began to push.
The atmosphere in the stadium, the strong performance in the first half, and the support from travelling fans made the defeat even harder to accept.
Despite the disappointment, Bruno was determined not to dwell on it. He spoke about turning frustration into focus and using the pain of this defeat as motivation.
The message to his teammates was clear: the away form must improve, and it must improve quickly. The Premier League is unforgiving, and dropped points can become a problem later in the season.
Saturday offers a chance to respond, regroup, and put an end to this worrying pattern of throwing away leads. Bruno’s honesty, passion, and willingness to take responsibility show why he wears the armband. The challenge now is for the entire squad to match his intensity and avoid repeating the same costly mistakes.
