On Tuesday night, Newcastle United faced Barcelona at St. James’ Park in their first leg of the Last 16.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals from Harvey Barnes and a penalty by Lamine Yamal.
Alongside the result and performances, a particular absence drew attention.
Anthony Gordon, a key player for Newcastle, only entered the game as a substitute in the 67th minute, coming on for William Osula.
His absence from the starting lineup was attributed to illness, but pundits like Roy Keane, Alan Shearer, and Wayne Rooney raised questions about how he could play in the second half.
Following Newcastle’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League, Anthony Gordon used the post-match interview to clarify the situation.
In his comments to BBC Sport, Gordon stated: “What the media guy told me was complete stupidity.”
He added: “I was in bed for three days, missed training, so sick for three days.
“Then I showed up on the day of the game, ready to start. I thought I was starting.
“When I arrived at the stadium, the manager told me I wasn’t playing, which I didn’t like very much, but that’s his decision and the team performed well.
“Saying I didn’t want to play in the biggest game of my career is absolute nonsense.
“I think Rooney said I passed him without shaking hands and went into the changing room. I didn’t.
“I changed by myself in a changing room that was tiny. It was just me and a sink. So that’s complete nonsense. I think they need to do better at what they are doing.”