Newcastle United couldn’t resist poking fun at old rivals Sunderland ahead of their 3-0 Champions League win over Benfica on Tuesday night.
The Magpies, who are pushing to reach the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition, put in a dominant performance at St James’ Park. Anthony Gordon opened the scoring before Harvey Barnes sealed the victory with a well-taken brace.
But before the action kicked off, Newcastle’s media team found time for a bit of light-hearted mischief aimed squarely at their Wearside neighbours and their lack of European pedigree.
Newcastle’s cheeky Sunderland dig
As part of their ongoing “Club 18-92” campaign — a series of retro-style videos parodying old travel adverts — Newcastle released a new episode to welcome Benfica fans to the city. The clip humorously guided visitors through some of Tyneside’s iconic landmarks, including the Scotswood Bridge, Newburn Bridge, and, of course, the Tyne Bridge.
Then came the punchline. When the Monkwearmouth Railway Bridge in Sunderland appeared, the video screeched to a halt with the narrator quipping: “No need to go across this one — there’s no Champions League over there.”
The slang word “shan” (Geordie for “unfair” or “harsh”) flashed up on screen, playfully reminding fans that Sunderland have never featured in the Champions League or European Cup. Their only European experience came in the 1973/74 Cup Winners’ Cup — over half a century ago.
Sunderland’s quiet comeback
While Newcastle were busy entertaining Europe, Sunderland supporters still had something to smile about. The Black Cats currently sit above their rivals in the Premier League table and recently celebrated the opening of a new city bridge — the Keel Crossing — ahead of their 2-0 win over Wolves. Fans marked the occasion with a march from Keel Square to the Stadium of Light.
Mourinho’s reaction to Newcastle win
Benfica boss José Mourinho was less than impressed by the atmosphere inside St James’ Park, despite his side’s heavy defeat.
“To be honest, I think in the first half it was a quiet St James’,” he said. “The crowd felt it was not easy — Benfica were close to scoring. Only during set pieces did Newcastle’s fans bring that real intensity.”
He added, “In the second half, the second goal ended the game. From there it was simple for Newcastle — the fans could relax. It was a good match, good refereeing, no drama — a quiet St James’ Park in the end.”
Newcastle’s mix of on-pitch dominance and off-pitch humour ensured their Champions League night had a distinctly Geordie flavour — and one that Sunderland fans won’t forget in a hurry.