Marseille 2-1 Newcastle United: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Marseille 2-1 Newcastle United in the Champions League on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Newcastle United got off to a flying start in this Champions League clash, with Harvey Barnes firing them ahead in the 6th minute without an assist, catching Marseille on the back foot early doors. The visitors looked lively, but Marseille gradually grew into the game, picking up yellow cards for Leonardo Balerdi in the 3rd and Dimitris Bakola in the 36th as tensions rose. Newcastle also collected bookings for Joe Willock in the 20th and Anthony Gordon in the 42nd, showing a scrappy first half with neither side fully dominating.

The second half exploded into life as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang levelled for Marseille right after the break in the 46th, assisted by Bakola, before grabbing his second in the 50th with help from Timothy Weah to turn the game around. Newcastle pushed back with substitutions around the hour mark, but more yellows followed, including Emerson in the 52nd for the hosts and Dan Burn in the 65th for Newcastle. Marseille, though, held firm despite further cautions for Emerson in the 52nd, Mason Greenwood in the 67th, and Arthur Vermeeren in the 84th. In the end, Marseille’s quickfire goals proved decisive, securing a 2-1 win despite Newcastle’s early promise and late efforts.

Marseille edged possession with 58% compared to Newcastle’s 42%, which reflected their control especially in the second half where they turned the screw after falling behind early. They racked up 11 corners to Newcastle’s 5, suggesting more attacking pressure and set-piece opportunities that likely contributed to their comeback goals. On the discipline side, Marseille picked up 5 yellow cards against Newcastle’s 3, reflecting a feisty encounter where the home side’s aggression helped them wrestle back momentum but risked suspensions.

Substitutions told a story too, with Newcastle using all 5 to try and freshen things up, including a triple change at 61 minutes that aimed to inject energy, while Marseille’s more conservative 3 subs, like bringing on Matt O’Riley for Bakola in the 62nd, helped them manage the game and protect their lead late on. Overall, the stats paint a picture of Marseille’s efficiency in turning possession into goals, despite the card count showing a match that got a bit heated.

The game burst open early with an early booking for Balerdi followed by Harvey Barnes scoring for Newcastle in the 6th minute, unassisted, giving the visitors a dream start and putting Marseille under immediate pressure. Marseille’s struggled to respond other than a booking for Bakola in the 36th, setting a tone of physicality, while Newcastle’s Willock and Gordon picked up bookings in the 20th and 42nd respectively, as both sides wrestled for control.

The turning point came right after half-time when Aubameyang equalised in the 46th, assisted by Bakola, shifting momentum firmly to the home side. He doubled up in the 50th with Weah’s assist, making it 2-1 and sparking Newcastle into a flurry of substitutions at 61 minutes, swapping out Livramento, Schar, and Murphy for Hall, Elanga, and Miley to chase the game. Further yellows for Marseille’s Emerson in the 52nd and Greenwood in the 67th, plus Burn’s for Newcastle in the 65th, added to the drama, but Marseille’s late subs like O’Riley for Bakola in the 62nd helped them see it out.

Newcastle made more changes at 72 minutes, bringing on Woltemade and Ramsey for Gordon and Willock, but couldn’t find an equaliser. Marseille’s discipline issues continued with Vermeeren’s yellow in the 84th, and they made defensive tweaks like Gomes for Greenwood in the 88th and Vaz for Aubameyang in stoppage time, ensuring they held on for the 2-1 victory in a match defined by quick goals and mounting cards.

Marseille lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which allowed them a solid defensive base while giving attacking freedom to players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up top, who proved pivotal with his brace. This setup helped them absorb Newcastle’s early goal and build pressure through the midfield, with the two holding players providing cover as they pushed forward in the second half. Substitutions like Matt O’Riley coming on for Dimitris Bakola in the 62nd added fresh legs in the engine room, tightening their control, while late changes such as Angel Gomes for Mason Greenwood in the 88th and Roberto Vaz for Aubameyang in stoppage time focused on shoring up the defence to protect their lead.

Newcastle United set up in a 3-4-2-1, offering width through the wing-backs and support for the lone striker, which paid off early with Harvey Barnes’ goal exploiting space on the counter. This structure gave them defensive resilience in the first half but left them exposed when Marseille ramped up the pressure after the break, leading to a triple substitution at 61 minutes where Valentino Livramento, Fabian Schar, and Jacob Murphy made way for Lewis Hall, Anthony Elanga, and Lewis Miley to boost creativity and energy. Further tweaks at 72 minutes, with Anthony Gordon and Joe Willock replaced by Nils Woltemade and Jacob Ramsey, aimed to add attacking threat, but ultimately couldn’t overturn the deficit as the formation struggled to create clear chances late on.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the Man of the Match, contributing 2 goals from 8 shots in 90 minutes. His quickfire double right after half-time turned the game on its head, showing sharp finishing and positioning that made all the difference for Marseille in this tight Champions League encounter.

Recent Champions League matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Newcastle United (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Atalanta (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Sporting CP (A)
• Win: 4-0 vs Ajax (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Real Madrid (A)

Recent Champions League matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Olympique Marseille (A)
• Win: 2-0 vs Athletic Club (H)
• Win: 3-0 vs Benfica (H)
• Win: 4-0 vs Union Saint-Gilloise (A)
• Loss: 1-2 vs FC Barcelona (H)

Marseille head into their next match against Toulouse on 29 November at 20:05 with a boost from this 2-1 win, sitting 19th with 6 points in the Champions League and hoping Aubameyang’s form carries over to build some momentum. The comeback showed resilience that could help against a domestic rival, though their five yellow cards might mean watching discipline to avoid any suspensions impacting the squad.

Newcastle United, currently 8th with 9 points, will look to bounce back from this 2-1 Champions League defeat when they face Everton on 29 November at 17:30, needing to recapture the early spark that saw them take the lead here. Their ability to score first is a positive, but the loss of momentum after conceding quickly could be a lesson, especially with three yellow cards potentially affecting focus in a tricky away fixture.

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