Barcelona vs Newcastle ref watch: Joelinton escapes red card as Francois Letexier performance assessed
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Credit: Imago Barcelona vs Newcastle ref watch: Joelinton escapes red card as Francois Letexier performance assessed Wed 18 March 2026 20:00, UK Newcastle United crashed out of the Champions League at the round of 16 stage after a 7-2 loss to Barcelona at Camp Nou on Wednesday night.Raphinha fired the hosts ahead in the sixth minute, but Newcastle quickly hit back to make it 1-1 as Anthony Elanga got on the end of Lewis Hall’s cross to sweep home.Marc Bernal restored Barcelona’s lead, but Elanga then grabbed his brace before Lamine Yamal dispatched a penalty after Kieran Trippier’s foul on Raphinha to end a breathless opening 45 minutes.Fermin Lopez made it 4-2 just after the interval, then Robert Lewandowski added two to Barca’s tally in the second half and Raphinha scored again to make it 7-2.This could be Newcastle’s last Champions League match for a while as they struggle in the league, and Football Insider have looked at three decisions that referee Francois Letexier got wrong on the night. ⚽ Newcastle Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Newcastle United fixture. VISIT THE NEWCASTLE MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Joao Cancelo should have been booked for delaying the restartLetexier certainly took a lenient view of numerous offences in the first half, not least when former Man City man Cancelo clearly delayed Newcastle from taking a quick free kick.Elanga was fouled in the visitors’ half before Magpies captain Trippier tried to put the ball down and restart quickly but was slammed into by Cancelo.Minutes played64′Goals2Accurate passes 8/14Chances created1Touches in opposition box3Ground duels won0/2Elanga’s stats vs BarcelonaTrippier certainly made a meal of the contact, but it was a clear attempt to stop him from taking the free kick, yet Letexier somehow failed to book the Barca man for the offence.Fermin Lopez avoided obvious booking for foul on JoelintonBarcelona got away with another offence in the first half as Lopez clearly tugged Joelinton down with no attempt to get the ball as the visitors made hay down the left flank.The Newcastle midfielder was dragged to the floor by the Spain international in an advanced area, yet Letexier again decided against pulling out the yellow.It was a very obvious booking, despite being his first offence, and deserved a yellow card.Joelinton deserved a red card after blatant tug on LewandowskiJoelinton was the first player to be booked as he dragged Yamal to the floor in the 17th minute as he tried to launch a counter-attack.He then went on to commit another foul, which he got away with, but should have been sent off in the 62nd minute after a clear tug on Lewandowski.The offence would surely have seen him booked if he wasn’t on a yellow, yet Letexier decided against brandishing the red and the Brazilian clearly got away with one at the Camp Nou.
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