"I'm happier with the result. We didn't play well with the ball. Without it, we were good, we defended together as a team. That was positive. It wasn't easy playing in this stadium, with that pressure and atmosphere. We made a lot of mistakes under that pressure, and we need to improve."
"We've had a lot of matches. Pedri was coming back, Bernal was also returning from a long injury... we have to improve. We have to keep playing and the positive thing is the result. After being down by a goal, it was fantastic to get this draw. We're sure to see a different kind of Barcelona game at the Camp Nou."
Barcelona held Newcastle to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last 16 first leg at St James' Park. Harvey Barnes gave Newcastle the lead late in the match, but Lamine Yamal converted a penalty to equalize and secure a point for Barcelona. Manager Hansi Flick expressed satisfaction with the result despite acknowledging his team's poor performance with possession. He highlighted defensive solidity and togetherness as positives, while noting the difficulty of playing in Newcastle's atmosphere and the pressure that led to mistakes. Flick cited squad rotation with Pedri and Bernal returning from injury as factors affecting performance. Barcelona will face Sevilla in La Liga before hosting Newcastle in the second leg.
Read at Barca Blaugranes
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