Barcelona director reacts to drawing Newcastle in UCL Round of 16 - 'This level is tough' | Barca Universal

"This level is tough. People have their opinions, and they know how difficult the clubs are, but it's a tough draw for everyone. Now we have to prepare for the next match. It is an advantage, but only if you approach the first match with seriousness. It's a very tough pitch; we won, but we suffered."

"It's definitely possible. We have the second leg of our Copa del Rey tie and a league match; that would be four games, plus the ones we've already played. I don't know when was the last time we faced each other so many times in a single season."

"It's a muscle strain, it'll be out for 3-4-5 weeks, usually no longer. He's unlikely to return before the international break."

Barcelona's sporting director Deco represented the club at the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw, where they were paired against Newcastle United. Newcastle qualified through knockout playoffs after defeating Qarabag and previously lost to Barcelona in the league phase. Deco acknowledged the difficulty of the draw, noting that while Barcelona's home advantage in the second leg is beneficial, they must approach the first match with seriousness given Newcastle's tough pitch. Barcelona will potentially face Atletico Madrid or Tottenham in the quarter-finals. Deco also confirmed that midfielder Frenkie de Jong suffered a hamstring strain during training and will be sidelined for 3-5 weeks, likely missing matches until after the international break.

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