They say utopia does not exist, but that was not the case for Newcastle United fans this evening, as they euphorically celebrated their 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain at St James' Park.
Goals from Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff, and Fabian Schär projected Eddie Howe's men to victory, despite a consolation goal from Lucas Hernandez.
Almiron's goal directly led from a moment to forget for Marquinhos. The Brazilian gifted the ball to Alexander Isak, whose shot was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, however, the rebound fell perfectly to the Paraguayan, who made no mistake with a curled effort into the far corner.
As the party started, the goals flowed too. Burn soon added to the tally with a powerful header whilst Longstaff's strike at the start of the second half ended any nerves. A consolation goal from Hernandez momentarily silenced the home fans, but they were quickly vocal again as the full-time whilst neared.
When the flags started flying high, Schär finished a dream evening for the Magpies with a stunning long-range strike. The group is still wide open, but with four points from two matches, Newcastle are in the perfect position to qualify for the knockout stages.
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Dreamland for the Geordies
If you told a Newcastle fan five years ago they would soon be facing Kylian Mbappe and PSG in the Champions League, they would laugh it off - rightly so. The Magpies have gone through years of frustration and discontent under Mike Ashley, most notably relegation to the Championship. Despite the political and moral controversy caused by PIF’s takeover in 2021, it has provided fans with nights they will never forget.
It would have been easy for the fans, and more importantly, the players, to get lost in the occasion. St James’ Park was like a Picasso painting before kick-off, with flags flying high in the sky. It was a spectacle.
Yet from the first touch, Newcastle showed desire, passion, and intensity on and off the ball. Hounding down Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, they epitomised a pack of wolves fighting for survival. As soon as the first goal went in, Newcastle never looked back, quickly asserting their dominance over the French champions. Burn’s goal symbolised the revival of football in the North East, whilst Longstaff’s early second-half strike made even the strongest Newcastle fans get emotional.
English sides have had a plethora of special nights under the European lights. Leicester’s campaign in 2016/17 made dreams become reality, whilst Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-1 win against Real Madrid in 2017 had uncanny similarities to Newcastle’s win tonight. Just like Leicester and Spurs, it really was the dream night for the Geordies.
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Burn’s masterclass
Blyth-born Burn is living the dream in Newcastle. Growing up as a young Geordie, it was Burns' dream to play for his boyhood club. The 31-year-old took the long road to the club, playing for the likes of Fulham and Brighton, but he eventually realised his dream in 2022.
Burn seemed like a smart but underwhelming signing from Howe, with most expecting the PIF-backed club to make major signings. However, Burn was a shrewd signing, who has taken the club up another level.
Burn's performance against PSG epitomised Newcastle's revival since 2021. Hounding down Dembele at left-back, he stopped PSG's attack from showing their danger at St James' Park. Coupled with six defensive actions, four clearances, and five successful duels, Burn did very little wrong on the biggest of stages.
The 31-year-old's goal at the end of the first half proved to be a moment he, and every other Geordie in the stadium, will never forget. Roaming forward into the penalty box, his powerful header was nearly stopped by Donnarumma, but it narrowly crept over the line. As the Gallowgate End erupted, Burn was living every fan's dream.
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Enrique under pressure
PSG have had an underwhelming start to the season, and when the expectation within the French capital is domestic and European success every season, it’s a cause for concern.
Currently, the Parisians sit fifth in Ligue 1, two points off the top of the table. Concerning results to Clermont Foot and Nice have added to the nerves, but the style of play is the more worrying factor. Under Luis Enrique, PSG like to keep control of the ball, showcased by their high possession stat; they had 73% possession against Newcastle.
However, when in control of the ball, the French champions very rarely looked dangerous. Mbappe and Dembele both offered little threat down the flanks, whilst Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos did not act like the vocal point the ownership had hoped for when they signed them.
It is a new era for PSG, especially after losing Neymar and Lionel Messi over the summer. Their intentions were to build a team instead of a superstar-orientated squad that clashed with one another. However, the new signings of Manuel Ugarte, Ramos, Kolo Muani, Lucas Hernandez and Milan Skriniar are not clicking for the Parisians. Pressure is building on Enrique to get the system right, otherwise, he will soon be forced to walk away from the club.
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Mbappe’s career conundrum
Time moves quickly in football. It was just 2018 when Mbappe shone for France at the World Cup, becoming just the second teenager to score in a World Cup final - after the legendary Pelé.
Yet now, the Frenchman is 24 and is yet to have an illustrious club career. He is yet to win the Champions League, whilst success is all but guaranteed with PSG in Ligue 1. Moves to Real Madrid have somehow never materialised, despite Florentino Pérez being desperate to secure his signature.
If the Frenchman wants to win the major club honours, it is looking increasingly likely that he needs to leave PSG to do so. The French champions are showing no sign of improvement under Enrique, whilst progress at Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid make the Champions League stronger than ever.
Next summer, Mbappe's contract saga will kickstart again - just like it does every year. Yet if the world-class forward wants to cement his status as one of the greatest players of all time, he will need to leave PSG to do so.
