Last night, PSG and Borussia Dortmund advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League as two dramatic quarter-finals played out at the Nou Camp and Signal Iduna Park.
As we all know, the pair both featured in our Champions League ‘Group of Death’ and finished first (BVB) and second (PSG). The fact one of them will now book a place in the final at Wembley on June 1st is quite incredible given we hammered PSG 4-1 at St James’ and were a VAR robbery away from doing the double – and Kylian Mbappe’s side.
Dortmund did the double over us in the group, but it’s that PSG away game that has left fans wondering ‘what if’ after watching them knock out Barcelona last night to reach the semis.
It’s all ifs, buts and maybes, but it could’ve been so, so different had VAR seen sense deep into stoppage time in Paris. It was an absolute shocker and a clear error that UEFA acknowledged after the game, yet that refereeing clanger and Livramento ‘handball’ may have massively changed the course of this year’s Champions League.
Newcastle finished bottom of Group F in the end, as we overcommitted in search of a winner against AC Milan in a bid to qualify for the last 16. In the end, our push for a goal (that we needed at the time after the setback in Paris) allowed Milan space on the break to win it late, knocking us out of third place and securing their spot in the Europa League; where they are 90 minutes from the semis should they overturn a 1-0 deficit in Rome tomorrow night.
However, had we avoided VAR drama and won 1-0 in Paris, it could and should have been so different, as avoiding defeat in our final game against Milan would’ve seen us qualify ahead of PSG; the side currently favourites to reach the final after their 4-1 win in Barcelona last night.
Who knows how it would’ve panned out, but it is worth noting our injury crisis was probably too severe for us to cope even had we made it to the last 16. Even so, it’s strange knowing one of PSG and Dortmund will make the final against Arsenal, Bayern, Man City or Real Madrid and settles that myth that Newcastle were an ’embarrassment’ to English clubs in Europe!
