Cheick Tiote: 'Swansea City are like Barcelona'

Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote has compared Swansea City to Barcelona for their similar style of football.

The Magpies were beaten at the Liberty Stadium 1-0 on Saturday, just six days after the Swans lifted the Capital One Cup.

The Ivorian has praised the Welsh outfit for the way they play, insisting that their style is reminiscent to that of the La Liga leaders.

"They play like Barca," says Cheick Tiote. "Everyone knows about Swansea. They pass the ball well and it's difficult to play against them.

"If you don't have the ball, they're difficult to play against. You're chasing the ball all the time and it's not easy to do that."

Swansea travel to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.