Tino Asprilla 26 years and 54 days ago did this – Happy birthday! | OneFootball

Happy birthday Tino Asprilla!

The Colombian striker has turned 54 years of age today (10 November 2023).

He was exactly half this age when he did this 26 years and 54 days ago, the final scoreline reading Newcastle 3 Barcelona 2.

A Newcastle eleven showed just what could be done by pulling together – a night of near perfect European football under the floodlights.

It looked as though it would take a miracle to defeat Figo, De La Pena, Sonny Anderson, Sergi, Miguel, Enrique, Rivaldo and the rest.

Well it wasn’t quite a miracle but he was called Tino Asprilla, a hat-trick hero who along with Keith Gillespie, put in his best ever performance for Newcastle United.

Only four months after this hat-trick, Kenny Dalglish sold Tino Asprilla.

This was a great football night never to be forgotten.

Newcastle lined up;

Warren Barton

Philippe Albert

Steve Watson

John Beresford

Keith Gillespie

Robert Lee

David Batty

John Barnes (Temuri Ketsbaia 81 mins)

Jon Dahl Tomasson (Darren Peacock 78 mins)

Tino Asprilla

Interviewed by UEFA about that night, Tino Asprilla talks us through the match. Also, watch the highlights below (First video is match highlights and below is the Tino Asprilla interview).

Watching this provokes many emotions /memories and the great thing now, is that we have realistic aspirations once again.

Indeed, only 17 days after the 26th anniversary of that 3-2 against Barcelona, Newcastle hammered PSG 4-1 at St James’ Park.