Chelsea and Newcastle suffered heavy Champions League defeats this week to Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona respectively
11:55, 19 Mar 2026
Newcastle suffered a heavy defeat at the Camp Nou against Barcelona
Ex-Premier League striker Gabriel Agbonlahor suggested that Chelsea and Newcastle should be ‘banned from the Champions League’ in an angry rant. The TalkSPORT star took aim at both clubs following their heavy defeats in the second legs of their European fixtures this week.
Newcastle entered their second leg against Barcelona with the tie level on aggregate, following a 1-1 draw with the La Liga leaders at St. James’ Park. Despite drawing level twice during a chaotic opening period, Eddie Howe’s team crumbled after the interval, succumbing to a 7-2 defeat on the night and an 8-3 aggregate scoreline.
Chelsea’s experience proved even more humiliating, as they were comprehensively outclassed by reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, save for a brief first-half spell. Following a late collapse in the first leg, any hopes of an improbable turnaround evaporated early on Tuesday, with the Ligue 1 side establishing a two-goal advantage.
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After netting a third in the return fixture, the final whistle confirmed a 3-0 victory on the night and an 8-2 aggregate triumph, prompting widespread condemnation of Chelsea’s performance. The criticism has been so severe that Agbonlahor, formerly of Aston Villa, has suggested the English sides who suffered such heavy losses should face exclusion from the tournament.
In a post on X, Agbonlahor stated: “Chelsea and Newcastle deserve a year’s ban from the Champions League.
“Truly embarrassing the Premier League! Get Villa back in, we gave PSG one hell of a game!!!” The comment may have been more in jest, but the former England international was clearly not impressed with what the Prem sides served up.
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Chelsea and Newcastle weren’t the only English teams to suffer defeat, with Manchester City also bowing out following their recent loss to Real Madrid.
Chelsea lost 8-2 on aggregate to the current Champions League winners(Image: PA)
Pep Guardiola’s squad had made a swift start at the Etihad Stadium, with the 2023 champions aiming to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg.
Arsenal encountered no such difficulties in their last-16 tie, as the Gunners scored three times without conceding in the second leg of their match against Bayer Leverkusen, securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Their victory over the Bundesliga side has earned them a last-eight encounter with Sporting, a team they defeated 5-1 in the league stage of the previous season’s tournament.
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