Newcastle United vs Barcelona: Champions League – team news, start, lineups

St James’ Park will stage one of the most evocative nights in its modern history on Tuesday when Newcastle United welcome La Liga leaders Barcelona for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

For Newcastle, it is only a second appearance in the knockout phase of Europe’s elite competition and the first since the 2002-03 campaign. Eddie Howe’s side, currently 12th in the Premier League, have already exceeded expectations by edging past Qarabag in the play-off round, yet the step up in class against the five-time European champions is stark.

“We’ve never been in this position in the Champions League before, and it’s the best competition there is,” Howe said. “For obvious reasons it’s a massive game in our history. We need to approach it that way, and we need the supporters to think that way.”

The Magpies’ schedule has done them no favours: Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round defeat at Manchester City was their 47th match of the season and 19th in 63 days. Injuries have bitten hard, with Emil Krafth, Lewis Miley, Fabian Schar and Bruno Guimaraes ruled out. Howe rested Dan Burn, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon at the Etihad in anticipation of this encounter and hopes the returning trio, along with Nick Woltemade, Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento, can inject fresh impetus.

Barcelona arrive on Tyneside unbeaten in La Liga since early January and four points clear at the summit. Hansi Flick rotated liberally during the 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend, keeping one eye on England’s north-east, and saw teenage winger Lamine Yamal settle the game with a curling 68th-minute strike.

“We’re already seeing what Lamine can do,” Pedri told Movista. “He’s very young, and he’s only going to get better.”

Flick will be without Frenkie de Jong, Jules Kounde, Alejandro Balde and Andreas Christensen through injury, while Gavi is unlikely to feature after eight months out with a knee complaint. Marc-André ter Stegen remains sidelined, so Joan García continues in goal behind a back four of Eric García, 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martín and João Cancelo. Pedri and Marc Casado anchor midfield, with Yamal, Fermín López, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski forming the attacking quartet.

Newcastle’s predicted XI: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton; Barnes, Wissa, Gordon.

Barcelona’s predicted XI: Joan García; Eric García, Cubarsi, Martín, Cancelo; Pedri, Casado; Yamal, López, Raphinha; Lewandowski.

History offers Newcastle scant comfort: although Faustino Asprilla’s famous hat-trick beat Barca 3-2 in 1997, the Catalan club have won the four subsequent meetings, including a 2-1 success at St James’ Park in September when Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, struck twice in nine second-half minutes. Anthony Gordon’s late reply that night proved mere consolation.

Howe insists the past is irrelevant. “We need to find energy from somewhere that will elevate our performance to a level that we’ve not seen before this season, because I think that’s the only way we’ll get through.”

If Newcastle are to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, the performance of a lifetime may be required against opponents who have lost only once in 2025 and have scored in every Champions League fixture this season. The narrative of resurgent hosts against seasoned European royalty kicks off at a raucous St James’ Park under the March lights.

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