Paul Scholes claims Newcastle are OUT of the Champions League after losing to Borussia Dortmund and expects defeat to PSG to seal their fate
- Newcastle are bottom of Group F with four points in four games
- The Magpies travel to Paris in three weeks and host AC Milan next month
- CHRIS SUTTON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a CLOWN – It’s All Kicking Off
Paul Scholes believes Newcastle’s Champions League campaign will come to an end in the group stage after losing to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night.
Goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Julian Brandt sealed a 2-0 win for the Bundesliga giants, which put them in charge of Group F with seven points after four matches.
Eddie Howe’s men, meanwhile, are bottom of the group with four points, two behind second-placed Paris Saint-Germain and one behind AC Milan.
Newcastle travel to Paris in three weeks when AC Milan host Dortmund at the San Siro, while the final group stage games on December 13 see the Magpies welcome the Serie A side as PSG face Dortmund in Germany.
Howe said on Tuesday night that his side would have to win both of their remaining matches to make it out of the group.
Newcastle lost 2-0 in Dortmund against Borussia on Tuesday night and are now bottom of Group F with four points after four matches
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‘It’s difficult to tell at this stage, but we are probably going to have to win our last two games,’ he said.
Scholes, however, believes that is unlikely to happen, despite the fact Newcastle thrashed the Ligue 1 champions 4-1 at St James’ Park last month.
‘Honestly, I think Newcastle are out,’ the former Manchester United midfielder said on TNT Sports on Wednesday night.
‘If PSG beat them, which I expect them to do out, they are out.
‘I think it’s going to be very difficult for Newcastle [to qualify]. I think PSG will beat them.’
As Mail Sport explained on Wednesday, Newcastle face nine possible permutations over the next two matches in the so-called Group of Death.
Wins against PSG and AC Milan would see them finishing on 10 points and would guarantee them a place in the Round of 16, potentially as group winners if Dortmund picked up only a point or less.
Newcastle cannot finish above Dortmund if they are the only two teams tied on points because of Borussia’s superior head-to-head record.
Winning one of their two remaining games and drawing the other would leave Newcastle on eight points, but needing results to go their way to qualify for the knockout stages.
Eddie Howe admitted his side may have to beat PSG and AC Milan to qualify for the Round of 16
Paul Scholes believes Newcastle are as good as out as he expects them to lose to PSG
Were Newcastle to pick up three points from their last two games, meanwhile, they would finish on seven points and would again need results to go their way to make into the Europa League.
Defeat in Paris, however, would effectively eliminate Newcastle.
Kieran Trippier insisted qualification was still within the Magpies’ grasp despite defeat in Dortmund.
‘When I was at Tottenham, we had Barcelona and Inter Milan in our group and everyone said it was done, but never say never,’ he said.
‘We got to the final that year, so it is a never-say-die attitude from us. We can’t control what happens, we just have to focus on Bournemouth and forget this.’
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