Who can Newcastle play in Champions League Round of 16? Possible opponents, route to final for Magpies

Newcastle United’s passage into the Champions League Round of 16 was never in doubt after a 6-1 first-leg demolition of Qarabag, and a 3-2 second-leg victory at St James’ Park on Tuesday merely formalised their spot in the last 16. With the aggregate triumph secured, attention now shifts to the identity of their next opponent—and the path that could carry Eddie Howe’s resurgent side all the way to the final.

Under the competition’s new Swiss-Model format, the knockout bracket is dictated by league-phase finishing positions. As the playoff victors ranked 12th, Newcastle must be paired with one of the top-eight seeds, and the draw has already narrowed the possibilities to two heavyweight names: Barcelona, who ended the league phase in fifth, or Premier League neighbours Chelsea, who finished sixth.

The Catalan giants and the Londoners were placed on the same branch of the bracket; whichever club does not face Newcastle will instead take on the winner of the all-French showdown between Monaco and reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Newcastle have recent history with both potential adversaries. They shared a dramatic 2-2 draw with Chelsea at St James’ Park earlier this season, having led by two goals, and are scheduled to visit Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on 14 March—sandwiched between the first and second legs of any Champions League tie on 10/11 and 17/18 March. Barcelona, meanwhile, edged Howe’s men 2-1 in the Magpies’ opening league-phase fixture, a match settled by a Marcus Rashford double.

With the bracket pre-set, Newcastle know that victory over either Chelsea or Barcelona would propel them into a quarter-final against the survivor of Monaco v PSG, offering a clear, if daunting, route through the knockout rounds. For a club back in Europe’s elite after two decades away, the road ahead is suddenly very real—and very intimidating.