Newcastle host Barcelona in the Champions League as Eddie Howe’s men return to the top-flight of European football with a blockbuster opening match at St James’ Park.
The Magpies last featured in the Champions League two seasons ago, where they memorably defeated Paris Saint-Germain but ultimately failed to make it through the old group stages.
Spanish champions Barcelona were famously beaten here in 1997 in a memorable meeting which saw Faustino Asprilla score a hat-trick for the hosts who went on to secure a 3-2 win and Newcastle will be targeting a similar result tonight.
However, Barcelona are a force to be reckoned with under Hansi Flick and are unbeaten this season with 13 goals scored across four domestic matches. Lamine Yamal is out through injury but in Marcus Rashford, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha the Spanish giants have more than enough firepower.
Follow all the team news and updates from St. James’ Park with our live blog below:
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Newcastle vs Barcelona live
- Newcastle host Barcelona in the Champions League with kick off at 8pm | Live on TNT Sports
- Eddie Howe's men return Champions League after failing to make it out of the group stages in 2023/24
- Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes
- Barcelona XI: Joan Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Martin; De Jong, Pedri, Fermin; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Rashford
- Team news: Marcus Rashford starts for Barcelona as Nick Woltemade drops to bench
Eddie Howe explains his Newcastle team
19:37
,
Jamie Braidwood
Eddie Howe says Nick Woltemade is still building up his fitness after signing for Newcastle but adds that the striker will play a part tonight after being replaced by Anthony Gordon.
“We’re boosted by Saturday and getting off the mark in the Premier League. We want to be competitive this time and get through to the next stage.
“[Last season] was a real challenge. Now we have a strong squad. It’s enabled me to make a couple of changes today.
“With Nick, he got cramp after about 50 minutes on Saturday. We’ve got another game coming up quickly, but Nick will have a part to play tonight.”
Hansi Flick delighted with 'unbelievable' Marcus Rashford
19:30
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Jamie Braidwood
Hansi Flick was delighted to take Marcus Rashford to Barcelona after being stunned by his ability while at Manchester United.
"I think I have to look a little bit back because I have really followed Marcus since he started at Manchester and I always said 'Wow! What kind of player he is, he is unbelievable'.
"He has speed but also in a one-against-one situation, he's really fantastic and also his finishing, it's unbelievable.
"What I saw in the first weeks here, it's really good and I think he also some more potential he can show us and of course he wants to do this. For me, it's great to have in in my team."
Bruno Guimaraes 'excited' to take on Barcelona
19:15
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Jamie Braidwood
"I'm very excited. I've never faced Barcelona before. It's one of the teams that I watched when I was young,” said Newcastle’s captain on the eve of the Champions League opener.
"The player that made me fall in love with football was Ronaldinho, so I always watched Barcelona play, and after [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi, [Lionel] Messi - and it's nice to see another Brazilian sign there again, Raphinha, so we're very excited.
"I think we have one of the best midfields in the Premier League, to be honest, and now we have to prove it in the Champions League as well."
Tino Asprilla returns to Newcastle for Barcelona clash
19:05
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Jamie Braidwood
Sky Sports News managed to track down Tino Asprilla before tonight’s match, with the hat-trick hero from 1997 back on Tyneside for the latest clash between Newcastle and Barcelona.
“Very happy to be here,” he told Sky. “I love coming back to the city. I feel the love I had nearly 30 years ago. I’m looking forward to it and we’re hoping to get the best result possible.
“I remember everything. It was a phenomenal night. I didn’t expect to play but I came out, heard the Champions League music... it’s incredible to be here. The whole city is behind the lads. A 3-2 win again would be amazing.”
Tino Asprilla is back on Tyneside ahead of Newcastle's UEFA Champions League tie with Barcelona.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 18, 2025
The Colombian scored a hat-trick against the Spanish side in a 3-2 victory back in 1997 ⏮️ pic.twitter.com/8mMNd78GMe
Marcus Rashford starts for Barcelona as Frenkie de Jong returns
18:53
,
Jamie Braidwood
Frenkie de Jong returns from injury to start for Barcelona, who name Marcus Rashford in their starting line-up alongside Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha for the visit to St James’ Park.
Ronald Araujo returns at centre-back to captain the visitors. Lamine Yamal is not available due to injury while Gavi and Alejandro Balde are out.
Nick Woltemade replaced by Anthony Gordon for Newcastle
18:50
,
Jamie Braidwood
Nick Woltemade and Jacob Murphy drop to the bench as Eddie Howe makes two changes from the side that started against Wolves.
They are replaced by Anthony Elanga and Anthony Gordon, who returns for the first time since his red card against Liverpool last month.
New signing Yoane Wissa has been ruled out until October due to a knee injury, while Jacob Ramsey is also unavailable.
Newcastle v Barcelona team news and line-ups!
18:47
,
Jamie Braidwood
Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes
Barcelona XI: Joan Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Martin; De Jong, Pedri, Fermin; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Rashford
Newcastle arrive at St James' Park ahead of Barcelona showdown
18:40
,
Jamie Braidwood
Will Nick Woltemade get the chance to add to his dream Newcastle start after scoring on his debut against Wolves? The team news will drop in the next few minutes.
Memories of Newcastle's 4-1 win over PSG ahead of facing Barcelona
18:30
,
Jamie Braidwood
Newcastle claimed one of the best results in their modern history when they humbled Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 on their Champions League return two years ago.
The Magpies ultimately did not progress but Eddie Howe believes his team are “stronger” this time around as they prepare to face Barcelona.
"It feels different, the build-up is different. We hadn't done that before and that experience will help us,” Howe said.
"I think the squad is arguably stronger than it was two years ago. Certainly the squad is different and I will back the quality we have.
“They are all tough games, tough-looking fixtures and the early games are really important for us to set the foundations."
Eddie Howe 'disappointed' by Lamine Yamal's absence
18:15
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Jamie Braidwood
“For me, it’s a shame he’s not playing. I’m disappointed that we don’t get to see him at his best playing in the game,” the Newcastle boss said before facing Barcelona.
“But whoever they play, they’ve got real pace in wide areas, we know that. They’ve got international players that will challenge us in different ways, so I think structurally our team performance has got to be really strong, we’ve got to defend well in wide areas, so we’re looking forward to that battle.”
Hansi Flick hails Marcus Rashford as Barcelona prepare for Newcastle test
18:00
,
Jamie Braidwood
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick is confident there is more to come from “unbelievable” England striker Marcus Rashford as he returns to his native country with Champions League points at stake.
The 27-year-old, who scored in his country’s 5-0 World Cup qualifier victory over Serbia last week, will hope to repeat the feat against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Thursday evening in the colours of the club he has joined on loan from Manchester United for the season.
Eddie Howe keen for Newcastle to make their mark on Champions League
17:40
,
Jamie Braidwood
Eddie Howe has insisted Newcastle are not along for the ride as they embark upon a new Champions League campaign against Barcelona having “failed” two seasons ago.
The Magpies announced their return to the biggest European stage in October 2023 when they took Paris St Germain apart at St James’ Park with a 4-1 victory, which gave them every chance of qualifying for the knockout stage.
Ultimately they did not make it out of the group and that is very much in head coach Howe’s mind as he prepares for a similarly testing fixture in this season’s opener against Hansi Flick’s men.
The cherished Newcastle advantage that can inspire Champions League success over Barcelona
17:20
,
Richard Jolly
Tino Asprilla is hanging in the Tyneside night sky. The Colombian possessed a natural spring and an unusual hang time, but he has remained there for almost 28 years. In many an imagination in Newcastle, anyway. Newcastle against Barcelona conjures memories, though some of them were never forgotten.
Asprilla’s penalty against Louis van Gaal’s Barcelona can be obscured by what followed; by the two headers that completed his hat-trick, by the sight of Keith Gillespie tormenting Sergi and standing up crosses, by the sense of the spectacular and the surreal. It only has one rival for the title of St James’ Park’s greatest Champions League night: a 4-1 demolition of Paris Saint-Germain two years ago that has come to look like a still better result since then.
What is the Barcelona team news?
17:05
,
Jamie Braidwood
Barcelona will be without star forward Lamine Yamal, who is sidelined with a groin injury but Frenkie de Jong is available. Marc Andre ter Stegen, Gavi and Alejandro Balde are out. Marcus Rashford returns to England with Barcelona and could start alongside Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha in attack.
What is the Newcastle team news?
17:03
,
Jamie Braidwood
Nick Woltemade could start for Newcastle after marking his debut with the winning goal against Wolves on Saturday. New signging Yoane Wissa has been ruled out until October due to a knee injury, while Jacob Ramsey is also unavailable. Anthony Gordon is available despite his Premier League suspension.
When is Newcastle v Barcelona?
17:00
,
Jamie Braidwood
The Champions League tie will kick off at 8pm BST on Thursday 18 September at St James’ Park, Newcastle.
How can I watch it?
Newcastle v Barcelona will be shown live on TNT Sports and Discovery+, with coverage getting underway from 7pm.
Good evening
16:58
,
Jamie Braidwood
Newcastle United return to the Champions League and welcome European giants Barcelona to St James’ Park in a blockbuster opening game of their campaign.
It’s been 22 years since Newcastle last faced Barcelona in the Champions League, following Faustino Asprilla’s hat-trick in a memorable first meeting in 1997.
Eddie Howe’s side qualified for the Champions League for the second time in three years last season and they will hope for a longer run in Europe this time around.
Two years ago, the Magpies sensationally defeated Paris Saint-Germain at St James’ Park but were ultimately knocked out of the ‘group of death’.
A change in format could work in Newcastle’s favour, but Spanish champions and last season’s semi-finalists Barcelona is another tough start for Howe’s side.
