Newcastle fell to a 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in their final preseason game of the summer with goals from former Manchester City forward Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann, as their star man Alexander Isak was absent once again.
Isak's Newcastle future looks increasingly uncertain with head coach Eddie Howe saying he is unlikely to play in their Premier League opener.
Going into another friendly this summer without Isak, Howe's side held Atlético to a goalless first half in front of a full St. James' Park, who had witnessed the women's side lose 2-0 to Atlético Madrid Femenino earlier in the day.
It took Atlético just five minutes after the break to take the lead however when Alvarez got on the end of an Álex Baena ball at the back post, after a sharp breakaway from the LaLiga side.
Griezmann doubled Atlético's lead on the hour mark, with Newcastle bodies forward, Alexander Sørloth found himself one-on-one with Jamaal Lascelles, going to on to find the French World Cup winner who secured a comfortable win for Atlético with a tidy finish past Nick Pope.
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Newcastle finish preseason with just one win -- against Carlisle United in July -- in seven games after drawing against Espanyol and Tottenham Hotspur with defeats to Arsenal, Celtic and a K-League XI.
Howe's side begin their Premier League season away at Aston Villa on Aug. 16, with their next home fixture against Liverpool on Aug 25.
