Newcastle draw 1-1 with PSG in Paris, both drop into Champions League playoffs

On a chilly night in Paris Newcastle drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain in the final Champions League group game, leaving both teams outside the automatic qualification slots; Eddie Howe’s side finished 12th overall and will enter the knockout playoffs in the last two weeks of February, and PSG will join them there.

Howe made five changes and switched to a back three, but PSG swarmed early and were awarded a penalty after a screen check in the opening minute; Ousmane Dembélé’s kick was well saved by Nick Pope and the penalty was described as "a very soft call." With seven minutes gone Khvicha Kvaratskhelia drilled a pass inside to Vitinha, who curled a shot into the corner to give PSG the lead.

Newcastle levelled just before half-time from a long throw by Sandro Tonali, a header by Marquinhos that flew up, a flick by Dan Burn and a neat header by Joe Willock. Newcastle looked the more dangerous side at the start of the second half as PSG’s full-court press was less evident than last season.

Howe brought on Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes with 22 minutes to go and Alexander Woltemade showed his link-play qualities as Newcastle pressed high; overall PSG had 25 shots to Newcastle’s seven. Late scoreline developments elsewhere also mattered: news of late goals for Inter dropped them into the automatic places and nudged PSG out of the top eight, and PSG left the Parc des Princes to whistles from the home crowd.

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