Newcastle's European Hopes Dented in Marseille
Newcastle United's hopes of a fourth consecutive Champions League victory were dashed in France as a second-half collapse saw them lose 2-1 to Marseille. The match, played on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, turned on a pivotal error from goalkeeper Nick Pope just seconds after the restart.
Pope's Mistake Proves Costly
The Magpies had taken a dream lead through Harvey Barnes' sixth-minute strike. However, the game turned on its head immediately after half-time. England international Nick Pope raced from his line in a misjudged attempt to beat Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the ball. The 36-year-old striker rounded Pope with ease before finishing from a tight angle.
The situation worsened for Newcastle just four minutes later when Aubameyang scored his second goal, completing a quickfire double that secured a vital 2-1 win for the Ligue 1 side and kickstarted their European campaign.
Howe's Unwavering Support
In his post-match press conference, manager Eddie Howe was quick to defend his goalkeeper. "It's a concern when we concede goals regardless of who's at fault," Howe stated. "We have to look at everything with a balanced head. He saved us many times. He made some really good saves against Manchester City just two days ago. That's the life of a goalkeeper. But I'll certainly back him."
Howe also pointed to his team's broader reaction to the equaliser as a key factor in the defeat. "The second half, I think we did not react to the goal," he admitted. "We were on the back foot and the crowd came into it. Then we were not at our best."
Looking ahead to a tough trip to Everton and a crucial European fixture against Bayer Leverkusen, Howe acknowledged the need for improvement. "We need the intent to go for more goals in games," he said. "The result leaves us bruised, but we have great games ahead."
For Marseille's veteran striker Aubameyang, who scored his 400th career goal at the weekend, the double was a timely contribution. "It was very, very important, especially at home for the fans and for us," he told TNT Sports. "If we want to go through, obviously we need to win games."
