Anthony Gordon hails Barcelona duo after Newcastle’s Champions League defeat

Anthony Gordon may have scored his first-ever Champions League goal, but the Newcastle winger was far more focused on the opposition after Thursday night’s clash with Barcelona.

Rather than celebrating in front of the home crowd at St James’ Park, Gordon quickly retrieved the ball from the net, desperate to spark a comeback. His strike, however, wasn’t enough as Eddie Howe’s side slipped to a 2-1 defeat, with Marcus Rashford’s brace proving decisive.

Missed chances prove costly for Newcastle

It was a frustrating night for the Magpies, who wasted big first-half chances through Harvey Barnes and others before being punished by Barcelona’s clinical edge. Still, there were positives – particularly the lively performance of Anthony Elanga, who is beginning to show why Newcastle invested £55 million in him this summer.

Pedri Gonzalez vs Newcastle United@Pedri pic.twitter.com/zX4ZninIye

— 🕊️ (@MagicalXavi) September 18, 2025

Gordon praises Pedri and Frenkie de Jong

Despite the disappointment, Gordon took time to acknowledge the quality of two Barcelona midfielders who ran the show in Tyneside.

Speaking after the game, the England international reserved special praise for Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, admitting the pair dictated the tempo and made it tough for Newcastle to impose their usual pressing game.

“They kept the ball brilliantly,” Gordon told TNT Sports. “Pedri and de Jong were fantastic. They controlled things and made it really hard for us to press the way we normally do.”

Frenkie De Jong Vs Newcastle

You need brains for a midfield, not muscle. pic.twitter.com/wu5OU5UC8l

— Frenkieprop (@DorDorfcb) September 18, 2025

Stats highlight Barcelona’s midfield dominance

The numbers back up Gordon’s comments. Pedri completed 91% of his passes and won nine ground duels, while De Jong managed an extraordinary 99% passing accuracy. Between them, they hardly put a foot wrong, highlighting the gulf in experience and composure at this level.

Pride despite defeat

Gordon, who will miss the Premier League trip to Bournemouth through suspension but could feature in the Carabao Cup tie with Bradford, admitted it was always going to be difficult chasing Barcelona after falling two goals behind.

“Being 2-0 down to Barca is always going to feel like a mountain to climb,” he said. “But we kept going, got one back, and showed our mentality. We can take pride in the fact we went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the world.”