Newcastle overpower Mourinho's Benfica in Champions League rout

Substitute Harvey Barnes netted a brace to propel Newcastle to a convincing 3-0 victory over Jose Mourinho's Benfica at St. James' Park, adding to the Portuguese side's woes in the Champions League.

Anthony Gordon opened the scoring for the Magpies, leaving Benfica pointless after three matches in the tournament.

The winger Barnes entered the fray shortly after the hour and delivered two clinical right-footed strikes, securing Newcastle's strong position in the group stage qualification race.

Eddie Howe's team has recovered from their initial loss to Barcelona with back-to-back wins, the latest being a 4-0 demolition of Union Saint-Gilloise three weeks earlier.

Newcastle now sit seventh in the Champions League table, surpassing Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"Once we got the second goal, it brought out our true potential, what we're capable of," Howe remarked. "We were outstanding from then on."

Mourinho affectionately called himself a "little Magpie" in interviews with Portuguese media last month, paying homage to his mentor and ex-Newcastle manager Bobby Robson, honoured with a statue outside St. James' Park.

Robson launched Mourinho's career by hiring him as a translator on his coaching teams at Sporting Lisbon, Porto, and Barcelona.

In 1999, Robson invited the Portuguese coach to Newcastle as his assistant, but Mourinho opted out to start his managerial path the next year with his initial tenure at Benfica.

The Portuguese club stands alone with three losses from three Champions League outings this season, yet they regretted failing to capitalise on first-half opportunities.

"The first-half score was completely unjust. But after the second goal in the second half, everything shifted, and the final result feels right," Mourinho commented.

"It highlights the gap in team qualities. They possess greater physicality, intensity, speed, and a substitute bench full of top talents."

Dodi Lukebakio tested Nick Pope with a sharp save at the near post, followed by the Belgian's long-range curler striking the upright.

However, Newcastle struck first in the 32nd minute.

Bruno Guimaraes fed Jacob Murphy on the right flank, whose precise low delivery was tapped in by Gordon for his third goal in three Champions League appearances this term.

Pope's long throw played a part in the second, as Antonio Silva missed the interception, allowing 27-year-old Barnes to race away and smash a fierce shot into the bottom corner.

Gordon set up Barnes for a calm finish with seven minutes remaining, as Newcastle set aside their domestic scoring struggles.

Howe's squad has managed only seven goals in eight Premier League fixtures, placing them 14th.

Yet, they eye a top-eight spot in the Champions League for direct knockout progression, facing Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, and PSV ahead of a tough finale against champions Paris Saint-Germain.