Mehrdad Ghodoussi, co-owner of Newcastle United, commended Eddie Howe’s team in the aftermath of their recent Champions League loss to Borussia Dortmund. The Magpies suffered a 2-0 defeat in Germany, with goals coming in both halves. Niclas Fullkrug opened the scoring, and Julian Brandt sealed the victory with a well-executed counter-attack goal. This outcome puts Newcastle in a challenging position for the next stage of the Champions League, with a formidable match in Paris looming on the horizon.
On Tuesday night, Howe’s squad was outplayed by a superior opponent, and injuries took a toll on Newcastle’s performance. The team was notably undermanned in Germany, as Lewis Hall made his first Champions League start in place of the injured Dan Burn but was substituted at half time due to an early booking. Additionally, Callum Wilson had to be replaced at halftime due to hamstring tightness, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming match against Bournemouth, given his injury history.
While Newcastle demonstrated commendable effort against Dortmund, they struggled to find that crucial finishing touch in front of the goal, mirroring the issues from the previous encounter at St James’ Park.
Mehrdad Ghodoussi bemoans ‘fine margins’ as Newcastle lose against Dortmund
After the loss, Newcastle United co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi shared his assessment of the team’s performance on X (formerly known as Twitter). He expressed, “Not the result we wanted, but the boys gave it their all. Fine margins were the difference. Thank you to all of you who traveled to support us. Safe travels back.”
Newcastle not at the required level against Borussia Dortmund
Newcastle found themselves outclassed by a superior team on Tuesday night. They conceded an early, preventable goal and struggled to generate sufficient scoring opportunities.
The best chance for the Magpies came when Joelinton had a golden opportunity, but he failed to capitalize, heading wide from a superb cross delivered by Tino Livramento. This represented Newcastle’s key moment, and it was a missed opportunity by the Brazilian.
Eddie Howe’s team displayed a commendable work ethic, but Borussia Dortmund always seemed in control. The demanding schedule appeared to have taken a toll on Newcastle, with the players visibly fatigued.
As Mehrdad Ghodoussi noted, they gave their best effort, but it didn’t translate into a win. Now, their focus must shift to recovery as they prepare for their upcoming match against Bournemouth on Saturday night.
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