Robson in fine form on Nou Camp return

Bobby Robson strode back into the Nou Camp tonight and turned in a virtuoso performance.

The 69-year-old former Barcelona boss breezed into the stadium he once knew as home and held centre-stage as he prepared to put his Newcastle troops through their paces ahead of tomorrow night’s vital Champions League clash.

Robson refused to be drawn into the frenzy over the future of the man who replaced him at Barca, Louis van Gaal, and was coy when asked what kind of reception he is expecting from the Catalan crowd.

“I have no idea. Maybe, as always happens, if you’re a painter, you’re never rich until you’re dead,” he said. “You always get your rewards when you’ve gone.

“I think that happens with coaches and managers – you’re never appreciated until you’ve gone, and then they say ‘Ah, he was okay’.

“It’s like the great poets, nobody rates them until they’re dead. I think managers and football trainers are the same.

“They talk about Picasso now – they didn’t like him when he was painting.”

Robson was in fine form as he carried out his final press conference and admitted that it was nice to be back on familiar ground.

“It’s like old times,” he said. “My life here in the short period that I had was simply great, even though there was always tension.

“But I enjoyed my life here. The club was – and is – sensational and arguably the biggest club in the world, and if you’re here, there’s no finer position.”

Robson is well aware of the pressure his side could heap on van Gaal’s shoulders by ending his side’s run of nine consecutive European victories, a record which has not been repeated in La Liga, where Barca have slipped to 10th place after four matches without a win.

But despite the enduring friendship between the two men, he insists there is no room for sentiment over a game which both sides desperately need to win.

“Louis is a big enough character to look after that problem himself,” he said.

“I can’t help him with that problem. That’s Louis’ responsibility. He’s responsible for Barcelona, I’m responsible for Newcastle, and we have a looming battle.

“I find it mysterious that in La Liga, Barcelona are not getting good results and yet in the Champions League, they’re doing absolutely wonderfully.

““That’s bizarre, it’s mysterious, but that’s for Louis van Gaal to work out. I have enough problems with my team.

“I hope that reverses this week. I hope they lose in the Champions League tomorrow and win in La Liga at the weekend.”

Meanwhile, Portuguese midfielder Hugo Viana is facing up to eight weeks on the sidelines after it was revealed that he is to undergo surgery to pin his shoulder next week.

United had hoped that the 19-year-old may be able to continue without an operation until the end of the season after dislocating his shoulder last week in training, but it is understood that the Magpies have bitten the bullet and will now bring his hospital date forward.