Newcastle 0-3 Barcelona

	Barcelona goalscorer Luis Enrique battles with Nolberto Solano. (LaurenceGriffiths/Allsport)

As Bosnian outfit NK Zeljeznicar booked their two-legged showdown with the Magpies by running out 2-0 aggregate winners over Lillestrom in Sarajevo, Newcastle went down to Robson's former club in their own backyard - and it could have been worse.

United started brightly enough as new boys Hugo Viana and Titus Bramble got their first taste of a packed St James' Park, but once the Spaniards flexed their muscles, there was little doubt which way the result was going.

Patrick Kluivert fired the visitors into a 28th-minute lead against the run of play, and once Javier Saviola had doubled his side's advantage seven minutes later, the writing was on the wall.

A Luis Enrique header four minutes after the restart completed the scoring, but Louis van Gaal's side could also afford the luxury of a 59th-minute penalty miss as Shay Given denied Kluivert a second.

Robson had insisted this was to be a hard-fought contest, and he got his wish.

Barca defender Carlos Puyol lasted just six minutes after clashing heads with Alan Shearer and playmaker Cocu showed he was in no mood to allow United their own way when he picked up a 31st-minute booking for a rugby tackle on Kieron Dyer.

However, the better side of the Dutchman had been in evidence three minutes earlier when he produced the defining moment of the first half, floating a long pass towards Kluivert who controlled past Nicos Dabizas before holding off Bramble to shoot home.

Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes had to produce a fine reaction save to keep out a piledriving Nicos Dabizas header with 13 minutes gone and a Nolberto Solano free-kick dropped only inches over his crossbar 12 minutes later.

United, sparked by the lively Lomana LuaLua, had caused problems, but as Cocu and Xavier Hernandez took a grip in the middle and fed Thiago Motta and Mendieta on the flanks, the Spaniards started to make the pressure tell.

Kluivert's strike was followed within seven minutes by a second from Saviola, who combined superbly with Mendieta before firing past Given.

Dyer could have reduced the deficit two minutes before the break after capitalising on good work by Solano and LuaLua to round Valdes, but Cocu was on hand to turn his shot away.

United's attempts to redress the balance after the break were dealt a blow within four minutes when Kluivert broke free but was shepherded wide by Aaron Hughes.

He managed to feed the ball back to Mendieta, and when he crossed from the right, the unmarked Enrique arrived on cue to head past Given off the underside of the crossbar.

LuaLua should have reduced the deficit just two minutes later when Shearer headed down Solano's cross in front of goal, but he scooped his shot high over, but things almost got worse as the hour-mark approached.

Enrique and Saviola carved a path through the Newcastle defence before the Argentinian forced a good save from Given, only for Bramble to nudge Enrique out of the way as he prepared to pounce.

Referee Uriah Rennie pointed to the spot, but the Irishman guessed right to block Kluivert's effort.

And as Robson's side tired, the Spaniards turned on the style, repelling increasingly insipid attacks with ease and looking capable of pulling holes in the Magpies' defence.