Newcastle fans have plenty to be excited about after their club-record signing, Nick Woltemade, made an impressive Premier League debut last Saturday against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Following the departure of Alexander Isak on transfer deadline day, all eyes were on the 6ft 6in German striker. Woltemade did not disappoint, powering home a superb header in the first half to secure a 1-0 win, ending Newcastle’s three-game winless run.
Head coach Eddie Howe praised his team’s performance, highlighting the victory as a timely boost ahead of their second Champions League campaign in three seasons and their fourth overall in Europe’s top competition. Newcastle were eliminated in the group stage of the previous format in 2023-24, finishing behind Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan. This season promises another challenging, yet exciting, League Phase with Barcelona, Benfica, Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, and PSG on the schedule.
Despite winning just one of their last eight European fixtures (three draws, four losses), Newcastle boast a strong home record, losing only three of their last 31 European matches at St James’ Park and winning four of six encounters with Spanish opposition in UEFA competitions.
Barcelona arrive in formidable form after clinching their second La Liga title in three seasons under Hansi Flick. The Catalan giants currently sit second in the standings, having thrashed Valencia 6-0 last weekend, with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Fermin Lopez all scoring twice. Barca aim to reclaim Europe’s top prize after last season’s heartbreaking semi-final loss to Inter Milan and enter their 30th Champions League campaign—the same record as Real Madrid.
Historically, Barcelona have lost only two of their last 17 group stage or League Phase games against English clubs and have rarely stumbled on matchday one, although they did fall 2-1 to Monaco last season. Thursday’s clash promises a fascinating battle between Newcastle’s rising ambition and Barcelona’s continental pedigree.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Newcastle United will be without summer signings Yoane Wissa and Jacob Ramsey as they continue to recover from knee and ankle injuries, respectively. Anthony Gordon, who had been serving a domestic suspension, is now available and could start on the left wing, potentially replacing Harvey Barnes. On the opposite flank, Anthony Elanga faces competition from Jacob Murphy for a starting spot.
Head coach Eddie Howe will also have decisions to make in defence. He may retain the centre-back pairing of Fabian Schär and Dan Burn or opt to start Sven Botman or Malick Thiaw. Meanwhile, Lewis Hall continues to challenge Tino Livramento for a place at left-back.
Barcelona, meanwhile, have injury concerns of their own. Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is sidelined with a groin issue and joins Marc-Andre ter Stegen (back), Gavi (knee), and Alejandro Balde (hamstring) in the treatment room. Frenkie de Jong, recovering from a muscle problem, has traveled with the squad and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
In attack, both Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha are expected to return to the starting lineup after making an impact as substitutes in the previous game. Lewandowski has been in exceptional form, scoring nine goals in his last seven League Phase appearances, while Raphinha was last season’s joint-top scorer in the Champions League with 13 goals and also contributed nine assists.
Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford is also in contention for a spot in the front line. In midfield, Marc Casado may continue alongside Pedri if De Jong is not deemed fit to start, giving Barcelona options depending on player availability and fitness ahead of this high-stakes encounter.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
J. Garcia; Kounde, E. Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin; Casado, Pedri; Raphinha, Fermin, Rashford; Lewandowski
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Newcastle 2-3 Barcelona
