BRUNO GUIMARAES REJUVENATES IN BRAZIL FOLLOWING HIGH STAKES NEWCASTLE EUROPEAN STALEMATE
Bruno Guimaraes reacts to Newcastle’s dramatic 1-1 draw with Barcelona while confirming he will miss the return leg.
Bruno Guimaraes has shared his thoughts after Newcastle United’s dramatic Champions League draw with Barcelona.
For a while, it looked like the Magpies would head to the Camp Nou next Wednesday with a narrow 1-0 lead, thanks to Harvey Barnes’ late strike in the 86th minute.
Then, things got wild. Four minutes of stoppage time went up, but in the fifth, referee Marco Guida pointed to the spot after Dani Olmo tumbled a little too easily from Malick Thiaw’s touch. Lamine Yamal, who Lewis Hall had kept quiet all night, stepped up and buried the penalty with the very last kick of the game.
It was a gut punch for Newcastle. Still, they looked a lot sharper than the last time they faced Barcelona back in September, when they lost 2-1 in the group stage.
Back then, Guimaraes wore the captain’s armband, but this time he had to watch from afar. He’s recovering from a hamstring injury in Brazil, stuck on the sidelines but still cheering his teammates on.
After the match, Guimaraes posted on Instagram: “Tremendous effort from the boys; couldn’t ask for more! Very unlucky in the end. We go again next week.”
As for his injury, Guimaraes will miss next week’s return leg in Barcelona, plus the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland four days later. He’s also set to sit out Brazil’s friendlies against France and Croatia. The hope is he’ll be ready after the international break, when Newcastle head to Crystal Palace on April 11.
Manager Eddie Howe summed things up: “I think the time frame is what it is; there’s no miracle cure for him. We’re looking at the end of the international break in March for his return. It’s a big blow for us at a key time. He’s gutted, but we can’t change it. We just have to get him back safely, and others need to step up while he’s out.
“We’ll miss everything he brings. He’s scored, created, and controlled games for us he’s just a special player. Losing him is tough, but there’s always a way forward, and it’s a chance for others to show what they can do.”
It’s now been a month since Guimarães last played he limped off late against Tottenham after helping Newcastle grab a 2-1 win. Sitting out is something new for him; before this, he’d barely missed a game.
When he found out how long he’d be out, Guimaraes wrote: “For the first time in 10 years of my career, I have to spend some time away from the pitch. I’m really sad about it, but I trust that God knows best. This muscle injury will keep me out for a few weeks, but I believe it’ll make me stronger and more prepared for what’s ahead. Thank you all for the support, messages, and concern. See you soon.”
WHY NEWCASTLE UNITED ARE READY TO CUT LOSSES ON THEIR £55M STAR YOANE WISSA
Newcastle United are planning a major summer overhaul, with Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade both up for sale after struggling.
Newcastle are trying to move on from Yoane Wissa, even though they just splashed £55 million on him less than a year ago. Wissa, 29, joined last September on deadline day, part of the rush to find someone to fill Alexander Isak’s shoes. Nick Woltemade, another big signing, arrived at the same time.
Isak’s transfer got more attention, but Wissa’s story had its drama. He threatened to go on strike at Brentford and left their pre-season camp before Newcastle finally got their man, handing him the iconic No. 9 shirt. Since then, though, it’s just not worked out for either side.
Wissa was injured until December and has managed only three goals so far for Newcastle, far short of the 20 he scored in his last season at Brentford. Lately, he’s slipped down the order under Eddie Howe. William Osula and Woltemade keep getting picked ahead of him; he’s started just once in the last sixteen matches.
The Athletic reports that Wissa wants to stay, but the club is prepared to let him go and absorb the financial hit. If they do manage to sell him, Brentford get 25% of the fee thanks to a sell-on clause.
There’s still a tiny window for Wissa to change things. With four games left and Newcastle stuck in 14th place, maybe he can convince the club to keep him. Earlier in the season, he even skipped the Africa Cup of Nations just to stay fit and fight for his place.
Still, it’s been rough. Even Eddie Howe admitted, “The hardest thing for Yoane is that he wanted to rush back and prove himself, but we haven’t been able to train him properly. It’s been all stop-start. The best is still to come; I think a proper pre-season would really help.”
Fans have to wonder what Wissa’s exit would mean for Woltemade, too. Rumours say he could be leaving soon as well. Newcastle paid up to £69 million for him to fend off Bayern Munich, but nothing is settled yet.
EDDIE HOWE PRAISES NEWCASTLE'S "BRAVERY" DESPITE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE LOSS IN ALL COMPETITIONS
Eddie Howe finds hope in Newcastle's 1-0 loss to Arsenal, despite the Magpies suffering their ninth defeat in twelve league games.
Eddie Howe spoke out after Newcastle United’s rough run continued with a narrow 1-0 loss to Arsenal, making it nine defeats in their last twelve Premier League games.
No team has lost more matches or let in more goals than Newcastle in 2026. This latest result, a fifth straight defeat in all competitions, adds to that miserable tally.
Right now, Newcastle are stuck in 14th, eight points clear of the drop with only four games left, and eight points away from sixth and a possible shot at European football. If we’re being honest, neither relegation nor a miracle climb up the table is likely, but mathematically, there’s still a chance.
Still, despite everything working against his team, Howe tried to zero in on the good stuff after the loss in North London.
Arsenal owed their win to Eberechi Eze’s early goal, but Howe saw reasons to be encouraged. He pointed to the team’s fight, saying, “I thought it was much better from us as a group of men." We stood up to Arsenal physically, which hasn’t always been the case lately.”
He sounded almost relieved: “We were more solid off the ball, the defending was better, and we looked much more like ourselves. Defending our goal has been a clear weakness, but today we improved. Sure, we still conceded and lost, and that’s what people remember most. However, I saw positive signs; maybe we’re finally regaining some of the defensive mentality we’ve been missing. We’ll need it for the run-in.”
Howe also mentioned the team’s work in possession, especially with Bruno Guimaraes back in midfield: “We looked braver on the ball and controlled our build-up more. We created a few chances.”
But he didn’t sugarcoat the big picture: “Overall, I’m much happier with that performance, but I can’t ignore the fact we keep losing.”
Newcastle actually started brightly; William Osula got in on goal right at the start, thanks to a pass from Joe Willock, but lost his footing at the crucial moment. Later, Yoane Wissa fired over after good work from Nick Woltemade.
Howe said, “We had our moments, just not as many as you’d want. From Osula’s run in the first few seconds to Wissa’s late chance, Dan Burn’s back-post header, and Tonali’s shot that Raya saved well, there were opportunities.”
He admitted it was tough to score more against an Arsenal defence that’s been so reliable: “You never come here expecting loads of chances, but we had enough to feel we were in the game.”
With so many players learning to play together, Howe felt the team’s unfamiliarity showed at times. “It wasn’t perfect, but I can’t fault the players’ effort. I’ve been plenty critical in recent weeks, but this was better. In the end, it still wasn’t enough, but at least there’s something positive to build on.”
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