Aubameyang rolls back the years at nearly 37 years of age to put Newcastle to the sword

By Alessandro Schiavone at Stade Orange Vélodrome

Olympique Marseille 2-1 Newcastle United

Goals: Barnes 6' (N) 46', 50' Aubameyang (M)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rolled back the years as his quick-fire brace within four second-half minutes helped Marseille come from behind to see off Newcastle United 2-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Marseille fans thought they would be served up the same old rubbish in Europe's premier competition when the red-hot Harvey Barnes pounced on a loose ball in the box to put the Tynesiders in front six minutes in.

And that only two minutes after ex-Tottenham midfield general Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg cleared Malick Thiaw's header off the line as the hosts were trying hard to withstand a footballing massacre.

The ex-Gunners superstar, who left north London under a cloud in February 2022 after three-and-a-half seasons of outstanding service, tested the waters in the first period before running riot after tea time.

He powered a shot at Pope from the byline while another of his efforts was pushed away by the ex-Charlton stopper. The Gabonese frontman, fresh from missing out on the World Cup with his country, better the question whether he was 'finished' at this level. A titan in Ligue 1, a pale imitation of it in Europe? Far from it.

For the record, when Pope was looking to make a name for himself in the lower divisions of English football at Aldershot Town, York City and Bury a decade ago, PEA was already an established European striker at Borussia Dortmund.

And despite the passage of time, the 36-year-old showed no signs of flagging.

In the second-half he single-handedly turned three Champions League into six for Roberto de Zerbi's side.

With the second-half having barely started, he latched on to Darryl Bakola's weighted pass in behind Newcastle's napping defence, beating Pope to the ball before finishing brilliantly from a tight angle way out on the right.

And the ex-Chelsea flop, who was booted out by Arsenal nearly four years ago, gave les marseillais a famous victory with a poacher's finish at the near-post only four minutes later.

Newcastle's players couldn't get near PEA, who ran rings around them and even had a successful dribble past Thiaw in the 74th minute despite being 12 YEARS his senior.

Newcastle tried to nick a late leveller yet Willock, Elanga and Burns all had shots saved by Argentine World Cup winner Geronimo Rulli while Barnes curled wide.

Ex-Londoners Tino Livramento, Dan Burn and Lewis Hall all had a night to forget with Aubameyang reigning supreme. Tonight he is the real king when it comes London expats.