It has been more than four years since Newcastle’s Saudi-backed takeover transformed the club’s ambitions, but progress on the pitch has come in waves rather than a straight line. Nevertheless, manager Eddie Howe has now guided the Magpies into uncharted territory in European competition.
Despite finishing 12th in the Champions League league phase, Newcastle still secured a place in the knockout round playoffs, marking their first-ever appearance in the knockout stage of Europe’s premier club competition. Their reward was a tie against Qarabag, which they dominated from the outset.
A crushing 6-1 victory in the first leg effectively sealed qualification within the opening 90 minutes. Although Newcastle’s 3-2 win in the return leg was less convincing, the damage had already been done, allowing Howe’s players to progress comfortably.
However, domestic form has been inconsistent. Newcastle recently suffered a dramatic 3-2 home defeat to Everton in the Premier League, before bouncing back to defeat Manchester United 2-1 despite playing with 10 men. Most recently, they were knocked out of the FA Cup following a 3-1 loss to Manchester City.
Consistency may be lacking, but Newcastle remain highly entertaining to watch. In fact, both teams have scored in each of their last 12 matches across all competitions, highlighting their attacking threat but also their defensive vulnerability.
Barcelona, meanwhile, arrive in England with plenty of European pedigree. The Catalan giants are aiming to improve on last season’s run to the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Inter Milan.
Under manager Hansi Flick, Barcelona experienced an eventful league-phase campaign. Their eight matches produced 36 total goals, tied with Borussia Dortmund for the highest tally in the competition.
Barcelona scored 22 goals but also conceded 14, the most among the top 13 teams. Their aggressive defensive line occasionally left them exposed, notably during a difficult match at Stamford Bridge earlier in the competition.
In recent weeks, however, the Spanish champions have tightened things up defensively. A narrow 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Saturday — thanks to another goal from rising star Lamine Yamal — marked Barcelona’s eighth clean sheet across all competitions in 2026.
Only Inter Milan have recorded more clean sheets among Europe’s top five leagues since the start of the year. Barcelona have also won four consecutive matches in all competitions, though their recent 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey ultimately proved insufficient after a heavy first-leg defeat.
History also favors Barcelona in this matchup. The Spanish side have won each of their last five Champions League round-of-16 ties against English clubs, including a 2-1 victory at St James’ Park during the league phase in September. On that occasion, Marcus Rashford scored twice while on loan from Manchester United.
Team News
Newcastle received a boost ahead of this fixture, as striker Nick Woltemade and midfielder Sandro Tonali both recovered from illness and a thigh injury respectively to start the FA Cup defeat against Manchester City.Midfielder Jacob Ramsey also returns after serving a domestic suspension, while defender Tino Livramento is available again following a thigh issue.
However, several key players will miss the Barcelona clash. Defender Emil Krafth is sidelined with a knee injury, while Lewis Miley and Fabian Schar are also unavailable. Influential midfielder Bruno Guimaraes will miss the match due to a thigh problem.
Winger Anthony Gordon, who scored four goals across the two matches against Qarabag and already holds Newcastle’s single-season Champions League scoring record, could return to the starting lineup.
Barcelona also have their share of injury concerns. Midfielder Marc Bernal was substituted at halftime against Athletic Bilbao due to stomach issues but is expected to recover in time for Tuesday.
However, the visitors will definitely be without several key players, including Alejandro Balde, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen due to injury.
All eyes will once again be on the sensational Lamine Yamal, who has been directly involved in 34 goals this season — scoring 19 and providing 15 assists. The teenage winger is also set to become the youngest player ever to reach 30 appearances in the Champions League.
Possible Starting Lineups
Newcastle United:Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton; Barnes, Wissa, Gordon.
Barcelona:
J. Garcia; E. Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo; Pedri, Casado; Yamal, Lopez, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
Expert Prediction
Newcastle United 1-2 Barcelona
