Lewis Hall spots Barcelona weakness that Newcastle United must expose

CommentsLee Ryder Chief Newcastle United Writer12:30, 10 Mar 2026Lewis Hall says that attack will be the best form of defence against Barcelona at St James' Park tonight.

The England full-back goes in against Lamine Yamal in the Champions League last 16 clash but insists it is about attacking the space in front of him, not just stopping the world's best young player.

Newcastle dream of a place in the last eight of the Champions League and if they achieve it, the prospect of doing something truly special will feel more achievable.

But Hall is focused on the task in hand and warned Barca he is not afraid to attack. He told Prime Video: "I think so. We know from what we’ve seen that they play a very high line.

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"We relish that and as a squad we have qualified to this stage through our hard work. We got ourselves in this position and we’re motivated to continue this momentum."

When asked if he had studied videos of Yamal, Hall said: "Yes, especially against a special talent like Lamine Yamal. We know he’s one of many threats in that team and we’re going to have to be on our game to stop him as well as a few others.

"I wouldn’t say I’ve done too much work specifically because as a football fan, I will always be watching the biggest games and Barcelona is usually in those. I’ve seen them play enough to know what Yamal likes to do, and I enjoy playing against the best to challenge myself."

Speaking on United's approach to this evening's game, Hall said: "The first thing we need is to find a balance of the excitement of occasion and playing our way.

"We know our principles, and what we need to be at our best in big games. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment but we need to stay level-headed and present to feed off of the crowd.

"It’s everything. A big moment for the club as we haven’t been here before and we’re hoping it can be a special night. We want to make the fans proud by putting on a performance."

Lewis Hall was speaking to Gabriel Clarke ahead of Prime Video’s UEFA Champions League coverage of Newcastle United vs. Barcelona.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more£8.99£0AmazonGet Amazon Prime hereProduct DescriptionNewcastle United have reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16 where they host Barcelona on March 10. Fans can watch the game for free with an Amazon Prime subscription or 30-day trial.