Robson optimistic Newcastle can reach quarter-finals

Newcastle United manager Bobby Robson is optimistic his team can reach the Champions League quarter-finals by beating Inter Milan and Barcelona in their final group games, he said on Wednesday.

After watching his English premier league side beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 at St James' Park thanks to an Alan Shearer hat-trick on Wednesday, Robson immediately turned his thoughts to Newcastle's next two Group A opponents.

"We need to win our next two games and then we might qualify," Robson told a news conference. "We need to get something in Milan and then we'll have to beat Barcelona at home."

"There is a sense of belief among the players that we won't be afraid when we go to Inter Milan in two weeks' time."

"We will go there with a lot of confidence and know that if we don't get anything there then we might not qualify. There is a fighting spirit and we know what we have to do."

Barcelona, who have virtually secured their last-eight berth, lead the group with 10 points, followed by Inter Milan on seven and Newcastle on six while Leverkusen remain pointless.

Shearer was delighted after scoring a first-half hat-trick against Leverkusen who replied through Marko Babic.

"I enjoyed it," said the former England striker. "Hopefully, there's many, many more to come. We needed a victory to keep our hopes up of staying in the competition. It was a good night for us. We did the damage really in the first half."

Newcastle's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals looked slim after heavy defeats at home to Inter Milan and at Barcelona in their first two Group A games, but two wins over Leverkusen have put them back in the frame for a place in the last eight.

"At first we gave ourselves a mountain to climb. We gave ourselves another one at this stage, but we've come back with two victories. We certainly won't give it up that's for sure," said Shearer, whose three goals included a penalty.

"I'm delighted obviously. I said yesterday that I'd be happy if I could score but more importantly I'd be happy if we got the victory. I've got both so I'm delighted."

Shearer's opening goals were his first from open play in the Champions League, though he had scored from the penalty spot in the competition for former club Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle.

An upbeat Robson added: "There is no reason why we should fall away. I know we have some premiership games coming thick and fast but Barcelona and Inter have games as well."

"I saw Manchester United win last night with a side that I did not think could do so well, so it just shows you how little you know sometimes. We will be optimistic, we still want to be in it. We have given ourselves a great chance so we are hopeful."

Manchester United beat Juventus 3-0 in Turin on Tuesday.

"We won't be afraid, we will go to try and get some points," said Robson. "We need confidence to go to Milan in the first place but we have lots of confidence. We're on a good run, we're scoring goals and the defence is tight."

"We're in a good seam of form at the moment. We're looking far more competent away from home than in November and December and our defence is looking solid."

"The idea was to get at them early," Robson said. "We know they are having a torrid time and didn't want to give them the chance to find a rhythm."

Leverkusen coach Thomas Hoerster said: "You can't take anything positive from a 90-minute game that is over after 10 minutes. At halftime I feared that we could be rolled over."

"There was no defence for much of the first half. I could not explain Cris's mistakes. He has played for the Brazilian international side but I simply cannot explain such a performance."

"I did not start with Boris Zivkovic because he is carrying an injury but had I known how Cris was going to play I might have put him on from the start."

Asked if he was impressed by Shearer, Hoerster replied: "Against such a defence anyone can look good."