Newcastle’s inexpensive acquisitions propelled them to a convincing victory over Paris Saint-Germain on a pitch crowded with pricey, world-class players like Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
On a fantastic night at St James’ Park, the Magpies completely outperformed PSG. Miguel Almiron, Sean Longstaff, and Fabian Schar all scored goals for Newcastle, and hometown hero Dan Burn silenced PSG star Kylian Mbappe.
The total cost of all of Newcastle’s goal scorers came to a modest €43 million, which is less than half of the €95 million PSG shelled out for Randal Kolo Muani, a member of the underwhelming assault for the French team.
A substantial portion of Newcastle’s team was there throughout the Mike Ashley period and has simply found a new lease on life under Eddie Howe, despite the fact that their current success has undoubtedly been attributed in part to the increased investment since their Saudi ownership in 2021.
Schar, who was bought by Rafa Benitez for €4 million in 2018 after the Swiss international was demoted with Spanish team Deportivo, is the player who most exemplifies the Magpies’ comeback.
Schar joined Newcastle as merely a cheap body at a time when the club was watching every dollar, but he has now become a vital part of the team, and his acquisition will go down as one of the finest deals in recent memory, dollar for dollar.
Few could have predicted Schar’s improvement under Howe, considering the defender made just 40 Premier League appearances in two seasons and was only regarded as “Championship quality” by his previous manager Steve Bruce, who largely ignored him. Bruce believed the 31-year-old couldn’t play in a back four.
However, Schar joined the club almost away once Howe was hired, creating a strong connection with Jamaal Lascelles, who has played recently due to Sven Botman’s injury.
Last season, the Botman-Schar duo was the backbone of the Premier League’s best defense, allowing just 33 goals and recording 14 shutouts.
REVEALED: How much have Newcastle spent under their Saudi owners?
But although Botman received the majority of the attention, Schar quietly contributed a reliable and seasoned head in defense and became essential to Howe’s approach because of his skill with the ball and ability to score from a distance.
Indeed, Schar’s long-range strike against PSG, which has been a signature of the former Basel player throughout his stint on Tyneside, completed a thunderous triumph.
