Anthony Gordon has spoken highly of Barcelona after Newcastle United’s Champions League clash with the Catalan side, suggesting they are a level above Arsenal and other Premier League giants.
Gordon’s Verdict on Facing Barcelona
Barcelona faced Newcastle in a European fixture, and many expected them to win, and they delivered on that expectation. Newcastle, who have become a regular challenger in the Premier League and recently qualified for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, could not match the Spanish side on the night.
Gordon reflected on the experience, noting the difficulty of playing against such a well-drilled team. Speaking after the game, he told the Metro:
“We’ve played against some top teams, City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, but the way they pass the ball, the midfielders, the way they were fluid in their movement and combining, made it really hard for us to press, and it’s not easy coming here and doing that.
“We press with intensity, we’re very physical, but to be fair to them, they did really well.”
His comments underline the impression Barcelona left with their composure, passing quality, and tactical movement, which set them apart from even the strongest of English clubs Newcastle have faced recently.
Perspective on Barcelona’s Performance
While Gordon was clear in his admiration, it is important to recognise that one performance does not determine superiority across competitions. Newcastle themselves have shown they can challenge the best in England, defeating Arsenal in both legs of last season’s Carabao Cup semi-final and proving a stern test for Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
Barcelona’s display highlighted their strengths, particularly in midfield, but it does not mean other top Premier League sides would fare the same way. Each game is shaped by its context, tactics, and moments of execution. Arsenal, for instance, are enjoying a stronger campaign than Newcastle and could approach a potential clash with Barcelona differently.
The Spanish giants remain a formidable opponent, yet comparisons must be measured carefully. For Arsenal and other Premier League contenders, Gordon’s comments may serve as motivation rather than a definitive judgment of where they stand relative to Barcelona.
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What Gordon didn’t know was that Newcastle could have as well be 3 goals ahead in the first half if Harvey Barnes was just a tiny bit more clinical in his finishing. On at least 4 occasions in the first half alone, Barcelona were carved up like the carcass of a lamb. If Newcastle had even their new striker on the field at that time, they would have put daylight between themselves and Barcelona.
Wash the scales off your eyes Gordon,
other teams in the epl play a different brand football than NU.
Anthony Gordon and Newcastle should try and win games rather than passing inconclusive comments. He does not have the qualifications to make such comments. Above his pay grade.
This post is balanced. Gordon and Newcastle have just been introduced to the circle of the ‘big boys’ and so can be forgiven for being starstruck. No disrespect to Newcastle United but his comments show that definite gap between them and EPL’s top teams. They are coming up but still, they have some gap to cover.
Yes, Arsenal and the other top EPL teams would have approached Barcelona differently and who knows what would have been the outcome?