Harvey Barnes says Newcastle United are just getting started in Europe after a comprehensive victory over Benfica. Barnes scored twice on the night and stopped in the mixed zone to speak to Telecom Asia about his ambitions for the season and where he is in life at the moment.
On the Champions League win he said:
Obviously, a brilliant night for us against a very good team, but this is just the start. We need to keep going and fix some of the things we didn’t get right. Newcastle United is one of the biggest teams in the world in many respects, and we have to make sure we’re competing in these competitions, not just making up the numbers.
The Magpies came into the game on the back of a disappointing defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, and there are concerns about whether they have the squad depth and quality to compete in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
But Barnes says the defeat to Brighton was disappointing, and they are focused on making up for it by beating Fulham.
We have too much quality in the team for results like that—very disappointing, and we should be doing better. I know this is football and anything can happen, but we showed tonight that we can be at our best. We need to correct the result at the weekend when we play Fulham. I’m not one to make excuses, we have a squad full of internationals, and we need to get results that reflect that.
Newcastle lost Alexander Isak in dramatic circumstances last summer. Barnes and the Swedish striker were very close, but he admits the club has put that behind them and is focused on achieving great things.
He added:
In the world of football, these things happen, and you have to be ready for them. The club responded very well with his replacement. We’re doing well at the moment, and the focus should be on how we can build on that. There’s really no point looking back and saying ‘this could have happened’ or ‘that went wrong.
Newcastle are currently 14th in the Premier League—far from where they would want to be if they are to enjoy a good season. However, with the form of Barnes, Gordon, and new signing Nick Woltemade, they have a good chance of turning things around. Manager Eddie Howe has been excellent since his arrival.
Last season, they won the League Cup for the first time since 1969, and Barnes says now is the time to aim for more silverware.
He concluded:
If you saw the way the fans celebrated when we won the League Cup, you’d want to do it again. That’s the aim, to give back to the fans and ensure we create more moments like that.That is definitely the target going forward.
