NEWCASTLE -- The Champions League can be as brutal as it can be glorious, and Newcastle United have learned the hard way that club football's biggest competition can never be taken for granted.
In the space of 90 minutes against AC Milan at St James' Park on Wednesday, Eddie Howe's team found themselves on course for the Champions League knockout stages, then preparing for the consolation prize of a place in the Europa League, before ending up with nothing at all after two second-half goals sealed a Milan fightback to inflict a 2-1 defeat on the Magpies that left them bottom of Group F.