Newcastle vs Barcelona predictions: Lamine Yamal to punish Newcastle on record-breaking night
Newcastle United began their 2025/26 Champions League campaign with a home game against Barcelona and will now face the same opponents in their last-16 knockout tie.
But they will be hoping for a different result after a Marcus Rashford brace gave the away side a 2-1 win at St James’ Park.
The three points helped Barcelona secure a fifth-placed finish in the group phase, giving them direct qualification to the last 16.
Newcastle finished 12th in the group phase before easing past Azerbaijani side Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate in the playoff round. This is now their first-ever last-16 knockout tie in the Champions League.
The Champions League is also Newcastle’s last hope of a trophy this season after they lost 3-1 at home to Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round.
Barcelona come into this tie following a 1-0 win away at Athletic Bilbao, which leaves them four points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
How to watch Newcastle v Barcelona
Newcastle v Barcelona kicks off at 20:00pm GMT on Tuesday, March 10 at St James’ Park. The game will be shown live on Amazon Prime Video, with coverage starting from 18:55.
BBC Radio 5 Live will provide full match commentary.
Newcastle team news
Nick Woltemade overcame illness to start against Manchester City, while Tino Livramento came off the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Jacob Ramsey didn’t feature in the FA Cup tie as he had to serve a one-match domestic ban, but the midfielder can now return to the matchday squad.
Bruno Guimaraes will miss both legs of this tie with a hamstring injury and Lewis Miley is out with a leg injury, although he could return for the second leg at Camp Nou.
Fabian Schar won’t be back until April with an ankle injury and Emil Krafth has been ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Newcastle expected line-up
(4-3-3) Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes
Barcelona team news
Marc Bernal was substituted at half-time in Barcelona’s LaLiga win over Athletic Bilbao due to illness, but he is expected to recover in time to start against Newcastle.
Frenkie de Jong, Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde are all sidelined with hamstring injuries, while teenage duo Jofre Torrents and Toni Fernandez are also injured.
Gavi is completing the final stages of his recovery from a meniscus injury suffered at the end of September and is now back in team training, although he is unlikely to feature against Newcastle.
Andreas Christensen is another long-term absentee, having suffered a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee back in December.
Barcelona expected line-up
(4-2-3-1) J. Garcia; E. Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo; Pedri, Bernal; Yamal, Lopez, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Newcastle vs Barcelona stats
– Newcastle United have faced Barcelona five times before in the Champions League. The Magpies’ only victory came in the first clash, 3-2 at home in the Group Stages in September 1997, with Barca winning each of the following four games.
– Newcastle have faced Spanish opposition in the Champions League on six occasions before, winning twice and losing four times. Both victories during that time have come at home though, 3-2 vs Barcelona in September 1997 and 2-0 vs Athletic Club back in November last year.
– Newcastle are on their longest ever unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League (5 games – W3 D2), and have only lost one of their last nine matches in the competition (W6 D2): 1-2 away to Marseille in November 2025.
– Barcelona have progressed from each of their last five Champions League last 16 ties against English sides, most recently in February 2018 against Chelsea (4-1 on aggregate).
– Barcelona have faced English opposition 33 times in the knockout stages of the Champions League, winning 10 of their last 12 matches since 2014.
– Anthony Gordon has scored 10 goals for Newcastle in the Champions League this season. The only players to net more times for an English side in a single edition of the Champions League are Erling Haaland (12 for Manchester City in 2022-23) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (12 for Manchester United in 2002-03).
– Marcus Rashford has the joint-most goal involvements (8) and goals (5) for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League this season (level with Fermín López in both).
– Rashford has also been directly involved in six goals in seven career matches against Newcastle at St. James’ Park (4 goals, 2 assists), including a brace there earlier this season in the league phase.
– At 18 years and 240 days old, Lamine Yamal is set to become the youngest player to reach 30 Champions League appearances.
Newcastle vs Barcelona predictions
Newcastle produced an excellent first-half performance against Barcelona earlier in the season, but Rashford’s brace made them rue their missed chances.
Barcelona’s attacking players should make the difference once again, and we expect them to take a narrow first-leg advantage back to Camp Nou.
But of the 16 teams still left in the Champions League, only Bodo/Glimt and Atletico Madrid conceded more than Barcelona in the group phase.
The pace of Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes will help Newcastle take advantage of their high line, so we’re backing Barcelona to win and both teams to score at 13/5.
A repeat of the 2-1 scoreline from Barcelona’s last trip to St James’ Park is available at 9/1.
Lamine Yamal comes into this tie in great form, registering a goal or assist in each of his last four appearances in all competitions. He’s 1/1 to score or assist against Newcastle.
Despite being a defensive midfielder, Sandro Tonali has three goals and two assists in his last seven appearances in all competitions. He’s 3/1 to score or assist.
