Barcelona travel to St James' Park for the second time this season as Hansi Flick’s side take on Newcastle in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie.
| Tournament: | Champions League |
|---|---|
| Venue: | St. James' Park, Newcastle |
| Date: | 10.03.2026 |
| Time: | 20:00 GMT |
Newcastle vs Barcelona Form and Head to Head
Newcastle come into this clash with a mixed run of form. Their most recent game ended in a 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, a result they’ll be eager to put behind them. Before that, they had a crucial 2-1 Premier League win over Manchester United, though it was balanced out by a disappointing 3-2 home loss to Everton.
In Europe, the Magpies edged Qarabağ FK 3-2 after a dominant 6-1 away win in the same tie. Over their last six matches across all competitions, Newcastle have won three and lost three, showing they are capable of both strong performances and unexpected setbacks.
Barcelona arrive in slightly better form, winning four of their last six games. Their most recent result was a narrow 1-0 win away at Athletic Club in LaLiga, following a 3-0 Copa del Rey victory over Atletico and a 4-1 league thrashing of Villarreal.
But their recent run also includes a 2-1 league defeat to Girona and a heavy 4-0 loss to Atletico in the cup, showing there are still vulnerabilities. The Catalan side have consistently found the net against Newcastle, scoring at least twice in each of their last three meetings across all competitions.
History also heavily favours Barcelona. The sides have met three times in the Champions League, and the visitors have won every encounter. Their most recent clash was earlier this season at St James’ Park, where Barcelona won 2-1. Going further back to the 2002/03 campaign, the Spanish side won 2-0 away and 3-1 at home.
Who is the Betting Favourite in Newcastle vs Barcelona?
Barcelona are marginal betting favourites to beat Newcastle. Latest odds imply roughly a 40% chance of a Barcelona win, around 36% for Newcastle and 24% for the draw.
| Match Result | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 6/4 | Betway |
| Newcastle | 7/4 | AK Bets |
| Draw | 3/1 | Betfred |
Newcastle vs Barcelona Team News
Eddie Howe has a selection headache for Newcastle, missing Bruno Guimarães, Lewis Miley, Tino Livramento, Fabian Schär, Emil Krafth, and Nick Woltemade. Losing Guimarães is particularly damaging, removing their key midfield controller.
Newcastle should line up 4-3-3, with Sandro Tonali and Joelinton linking play and Jacob Ramsey adding vertical runs. Anthony Gordon is the main threat with 10 Champions League goals, supported by pace from Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga. Home form versus Spanish sides is solid, but conceding two or more goals in eight of their last ten competitive home games is a concern.
Barcelona are without Gavi, Jules Koundé, Alejandro Balde, Frenkie de Jong, and Andreas Christensen. They’ll likely play 4-2-3-1, with Pedri central, Lewandowski up front, and Yamal and Raphinha providing movement. Barcelona remain potent in attack, scoring in 27 of their last 28 Champions League matches, though 11 games without a clean sheet leaves room for Newcastle to strike at St James’ Park.
Newcastle vs Barcelona Predicted Lineups
Newcastle (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Trippier, Burn, Thiaw, Hall; Joelinton, Tonali, Ramsey; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Joan García; Cancelo, Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, Eric García; Bernal, Pedri; Raphinha, Fermín López, Lamine Yamal; Lewandowski.
Lineups powered by WhoScored.
Newcastle vs Barcelona Match Prediction
This is new but thrilling territory for Newcastle United. They’ve reached the Champions League round of 16 for the first time, finishing 12th in the league stage before demolishing Qarabağ FK 9-3 on aggregate in the knockout play-offs.
Eddie Howe’s side have lost just once in their last nine matches in Europe’s top competition and are currently on their longest unbeaten run in the Champions League with five games without defeat. Add four consecutive home wins in Europe and Newcastle enter this tie with confidence that belies their domestic struggles.
Barcelona, on the other hand, bring vast experience. Hansi Flick’s side qualified directly after finishing fifth in the group stage and are contesting the round of 16 for the 20th time. Their record is formidable: 15 wins in their last 16 ties at this stage and victories in their last five round-of-16 matches against English opposition. They also arrive in form, having won four straight across all competitions.
Still, there are cracks. Barcelona have scored in 27 of their last 28 Champions League matches but haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last 11. Newcastle’s attacking threat, boosted by a passionate home crowd, means this could be a tie where neither side fully dictates terms.
Prediction: Newcastle 1-2 Barcelona
Newcastle vs Barcelona Match Stat Trends
Our EV Eagle has picked out five trending player stats for Newcastle vs Barcelona.
Find 100s more player stat trends in our Trends Tool, available to Oddschecker+ Premium subscribers.
Ferran Torres has failed to exceed 2.5 Shots in 9 of their last 10 games.
Best odds of Evens at bet365 while publishing.
Lamine Yamal has managed To Score Or Assist in 8 of their last 10 games.
Best odds of 21/20 at BetMGM UK while publishing.
Anthony Elanga has exceeded 0.5 Fouls in 5 of their last 7 games.
Best odds of 5/6 at Paddy Power while publishing.
Newcastle have scored 2+ goals in 4 of their last 5 matches in Champions League.
Best odds of 20/23 at Sporting Index while publishing.
There have been 27+ shots taken in 3 of Newcastle's last 3 matches in Champions League.
Best odds of 3/4 at William Hill at the time of publishing.
Newcastle vs Barcelona Bet Builder Tip
Our Newcastle vs Barcelona Bet Builder Tip is:
- Yes - Both Teams To Score
- Over 10.5 - Match Shots On Target
- D. Burn Over 0.5 - Shots On Target
- Raphinha Over 0.5 - Shots On Target
Best odds of 13/1 at BetMGM UK while publishing.
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