The atmosphere at St. James’ Park was electric as Newcastle United secured a commanding 3-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, but the post-match headlines have been dominated by a moment of intense controversy.
While the Magpies celebrated a win that moves them closer to the knockout stages, the Dutch visitors were left fuming over a challenge involving Newcastle’s midfield heartbeat, Bruno Guimaraes.
Joey Veerman, the PSV playmaker, has launched a blistering verbal attack on the Brazilian, labeling a first-half tackle as “outrageous” and claiming he was fortunate to escape the match without a broken leg.
The incident occurred late in the first half and immediately split opinion across the stadium. Guimaraes went into a challenge with significant force, and while he may have touched the ball, his follow-through caught Veerman flush on the ankle with his studs.
The referee opted for a yellow card, a decision that left the PSV bench and players in disbelief. Veerman, speaking to the media after the game, did not hold back his frustration. He argued that the logic used to justify the yellow card that Bruno touched the ball first is fundamentally flawed when the safety of a player is at risk.
According to the 27-year-old midfielder, the force was so high and the contact so high above the ankle that it could have easily ended his season.
Ironically, it was Guimaraes who seemed to suffer more immediate physical damage from the collision. Despite trying to soldier on, the Brazilian was clearly in significant pain and was forced to withdraw from the game during first-half stoppage time.
He was replaced by the young talent Lewis Miley, leaving the home crowd anxious about the fitness of their most influential player. Before his exit, Newcastle had already established a firm grip on the contest.
Yoane Wissa and Anthony Gordon had found the net to give the hosts a 2-0 lead at the interval, and Harvey Barnes eventually added the finishing touch with a third goal in the 65th minute to wrap up the points.
Despite his anger regarding the officiating, Veerman was honest enough to admit that PSV were the architects of their own downfall. He criticized the way his team conceded goals, suggesting that they practically handed the win to Newcastle on a silver platter.
He wondered aloud if the pressure of the St. James’ Park environment had gotten to his teammates, noting that while they enjoyed decent spells of possession, they lacked the creative “teeth” to actually hurt the Magpies’ defense. It was a sobering night for the Eredivisie leaders, who found out the hard way that Premier League opposition can be unforgiving when presented with mistakes.
| Player Performance Summary | Result/Status | Impact |
| Bruno Guimaraes | Injury Withdrawal | Forced off in 45+’; doubtful for Villa |
| Joey Veerman | Full 90 Minutes | Critical of tackle; admitted team errors |
| Yoane Wissa | 1 Goal | Opened the scoring for Newcastle |
| Anthony Gordon | 1 Goal | Doubled the lead before halftime |
| Harvey Barnes | 1 Goal | Sealed the 3-0 win in the second half |
The focus for Newcastle has now shifted from the victory to the treatment room. Bruno Guimaraes is the engine of Eddie Howe’s team, and any long-term absence would be a catastrophic blow to their domestic and European ambitions.
Howe provided a cautious update after the final whistle, noting that Bruno’s ankle had significant swelling. The manager admitted he was concerned because Guimaraes is the type of character who usually refuses to leave the pitch unless the pain is unbearable. The fact that he asked to come off suggests the damage might be more than just a minor knock.
Newcastle’s medical team is now working against the clock to get the midfielder ready for a massive Premier League clash against Aston Villa this Sunday. With the race for the top four heating up, having Bruno in the starting lineup is essential.
While the PSV camp continues to argue that he should have been sent off, Newcastle fans are simply hoping that their star man hasn’t paid too high a price for his commitment in that 50-50 challenge.
As it stands, the win against PSV was a statement of intent, but the cost of those three points will only be truly known once the results of Bruno’s scans are made public.
