Newcastle United endured another painful night in Europe as their performance collapsed in the second half against Marseille, turning what should have been a controlled victory into a frustrating 2-1 defeat.
Eddie Howe’s side started with energy, confidence, and precision, taking an early lead that sent the travelling supporters into full celebration mode. But once the second half began, the composure vanished, mistakes crept in, and Marseille were allowed to grow into the game far too easily.
The collapse was entirely self-inflicted, and the team returned home with only regret to show for what could have been a defining European result.
Newcastle opened the scoring within the first ten minutes after showing clever movement and quick thinking down the right-hand side. Joe Willock showed good awareness as he played the ball forward into space, allowing Sandro Tonali to time his run perfectly before sliding the ball across the box.
Anthony Gordon cleverly helped it along, and Harvey Barnes, in brilliant form lately, finished calmly into the corner. It was a slick team goal, the kind that shows what this Newcastle side can do when their passing is sharp and their movement is coordinated.
The 3,300 travelling fans erupted, and in that moment, nothing suggested this night would end in disappointment.
But football punishes lapses in concentration, and Newcastle suffered two major ones. After the break, veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang punished the visitors with ruthless efficiency, scoring twice within five minutes.
The first came after a chaotic defensive moment where Newcastle failed to stay composed, failed to communicate, and ultimately failed to deal with a situation that should have been simple.
The second arrived quickly after, and with it, the confidence Newcastle showed in the first half evaporated.
From that point on, Newcastle never truly recovered. What made the defeat worse was that the team appeared to lose their structure, discipline, and belief once they fell behind. Instead of responding with urgency or fighting to regain momentum, the players looked disjointed and hesitant.
Passes went astray, pressing became half-hearted, and too many individuals dropped below their usual level. The defensive line looked stretched, the midfield struggled to control possession, and the attack faded into the background entirely.
Eddie Howe will no doubt feel frustrated, not only with the result but with the manner in which the match was thrown away. This was not a case of being outclassed by a superior team.
Newcastle had control early on, had the advantage, and had the opportunity to kill the game or at least manage it intelligently. Instead, they made errors that gifted Marseille their comeback, and their reaction to adversity was nowhere near strong enough for a side with Champions League ambitions.
Some players did stand out for their effort and quality, especially Malick Thiaw, who produced several crucial tackles and looked determined throughout.
Tonali also played with purpose, showing tidy passing and a willingness to drive the team forward. But the positive performances were overshadowed by the mistakes around them and the lack of cohesion in the second half. The team as a whole simply did not maintain the level required to win at this stage of the competition.
As the dust settles, this defeat will serve as a reminder of how quickly games at this level can be lost. Newcastle must find greater consistency, sharper decision-making, and more resilience under pressure.
They had the match where they wanted it early on, but once they allowed Marseille back into the game, they never found a convincing response. Champions League football punishes teams that switch off, and Newcastle learned that the hard way tonight.
Below is a complete list of the player ratings from the match in Marseille:
Nick Pope – 5
Jacob Murphy – 5
Malick Thiaw – 7
Fabian Schar – 6
Dan Burn – 6
Tino Livramento – 6
Joe Willock – 6
Bruno Guimaraes – 5
Sandro Tonali – 7
Harvey Barnes – 6
Anthony Gordon – 5
Substitutes:
Lewis Hall – 6 (for Livramento 60’)
Anthony Elanga – 5 (for Murphy 60’)
Lewis Miley – 6 (for Schar 60’)
Nick Woltemade – 6 (for Gordon 72’)
Jacob Ramsey – 6 (for Willock 72’)
Only substitutes with 15+ minutes played receive a rating.
