"The most important thing is that you need points to help yourself," he said.
"You won't qualify unless you do things on your own and you win and you pick up the points.
"The odd match going the right way obviously can assist you, but we have a chance. Certainly, if we can win next week - and I'm saying if we can win, I'm not saying we will win - it opens the door for us and you never know.
"With Barcelona at home and Inter Milan away, at least we have a chance now. Tonight was a vital result for us. We have won and now we just have to build on that result.
"It's still open. Nothing is decided after three games - it never can be. The important thing for us was to look after ourselves and that's what we've done.
"We have put ourselves in a position. In a week's time we play Bayer at St James', and that gives us a bit of a chance, so it was a very important victory.
"I think Bayer will try to concentrate on their position in the league - that's very crucial to them. Barcelona and Inter Milan play again next week - they may knock each other out - and we play Bayer, so it's a beginning, it's a start."
And of Shola Ameobi he added: "I'm pleased with him, he's a player for the future, he's 21 and he's going to be very difficult to handle.
"He took his two goals very well and I think he's got a good future. He faded at the end - he's got a slight back injury which didn't help him - but other than that, he's fine.
"He did very well at Barcelona and two goals last night, he's shown great promise."