Eddie Howe slams referee call as Newcastle United are robbed of Champions League ‘history’ at PSG

PARIS: Eleven lads in black and white dared to dream in Paris - and they came within a whisker of achieving what so many said was impossible.

You have to go back to 2004 for the last time Paris Saint-Germain suffered a home defeat at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League group stages. And Newcastle United, down to their bare bones and staring elimination in the face, saw their three point dream robbed by a controversial VAR call in added time.

With just two minutes of an inexplicable eight added remaining, Szymon Marciniak was sent to evaluate his decision to not give a spot-kick for the ball clipping Tino Livramento’s elbow after hitting his side. He pointed to the spot, and Kylian Mbappe obliged with the finish from 12 yards.

And with that, Newcastle writing their own little bit of history, in completing arguably their greatest ever European away day result, went up in smoke.

While disappointment will be the overriding emotion for everyone associated with the Magpies in the short term, it won’t take long for pride to expel such thoughts. Adversity may well be the buzzword on Tyneside at the moment, but write Eddie Howe’s team off at your peril - they are made of sterner stuff these days.

When asked whether he felt a sense of injustice, Howe responded: “Yes I do. It was, in my opinion, not the right decision. So many things to take into account. I think the speed first, it was a ricochet that when slowed down looks totally different from the live event.

“The ball hits his chest first then comes up, and hits his hand. I don’t think his hand is in an unnatural position. It’s done by his side, he’s in a running motion. I feel it’s a poor decision.

“It was hugely frustrating for us because in that moment