Barcelona hit seven past Newcastle to roar into Champions League quarters

BARCELONA, March 18 : Barcelona stormed into the Champions League quarter-finals with a thumping 7-2 victory over Newcastle United at Camp Nou on Wednesday, sealing an emphatic 8-3 aggregate triumph in a compelling round-of-16 tie.

Raphinha opened the scoring in the sixth minute after Fermin Lopez led a swift counter attack, but Anthony Elanga levelled nine minutes later from Lewis Hall's cross. Marc Bernal restored Barca's lead from a Raphinha free kick before Elanga struck again in the 28th minute after Lamine Yamal failed to clear.

Yamal made amends by converting a spot kick deep into first-half added time after VAR spotted Kieran Trippier's foul on Raphinha inside the box and Barca came storming back from the break to score four goals in the second half.

Fermin added a fourth in the 52nd minute and Robert Lewandowski scored twice in quick succession, first with a header from a corner and then from Yamal's through ball.

Raphinha sealed the rout in the 73rd minute after a Jacob Ramsey mistake, with the Catalan side now set to meet either Atletico Madrid or Tottenham Hotspur in the next round.

"We are delighted, it was a great performance," Raphinha told Movistar Plus.

"Newcastle are a very physical side; if they’re on form, they make life difficult for you. We were calm throughout the match and knew we had to control the game. We lost possession a lot in the first half but the third and fourth goals came quickly and helped us settle down."

DEVASTATING IN ATTACK, VULNERABLE AT THE BACK

It was a night that showcased both the irresistible and the unreliable sides of Hansi Flick's team — devastating in attack, yet persistently vulnerable at the back.

Barcelona have now scored 30 goals in this season's competition, an average of