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Season 2025-26
Barcelona (Spain) (h) Champions League Round of 16 First Leg

 


Date:
Tuesday 10th March 2026, 8pm
Live on Amazon Prime

Venue: St.James' Park

Conditions: Undaunted

Tickets: £79 premium, £69 rest



 

Newcastle

 

Barcelona

 

1 - 1


 

Teams

Goals

Half time: Newcastle 0 Barcelona 0

86 mins A smart exchange of passes between Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy just outside the right hand side of the Gallowgate End area allowed the latter to centre for Harvey Barnes to sidefoot in from six yards out, goalkeeper Joan Garcia helping the ball into the net. 1-0

90+6 mins Dani Olmo glided into the United area before shifting position and tempting Malick Thiaw into a lunging tackle that caught the visiting substitute on the ankle. Lamine Yamal sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way from 12 yards. The final whistle sounded before the restart. 96 Tears. 1-1

Full time: 
Newcastle 1 Barcelona 1

We Said


Eddie Howe said:

"We played really well in the game. We were on top for a lot of it.

"It will be a different sort of game at their place, but we know what we can do and we know when we are at our level how well we can play. What a feeling it would have been to go there 1-0 up, but we are level in the tie and all to play for.

"It is one game, away from home, where we can show what we can do. It will be an exciting game for us. I thought we were outstanding, a really, really good performance. We kept the intensity up.

"The moment at the end takes that in a negative light but one of our best performances.
I thought we had enough to score before we did.

"The game showed we are capable but we know we probably have to give more going to their stadium. We are capable of doing it but we will need to be at our very best.


"It is my job to try and pick them up. We have unfortunately had to do that a few times this seasons but our strength of character should never be in doubt.

"We will be ready by the time the next game comes round. We believe in ourselves and our capability and we have shown that today. In the cold light of day when we wake up tomorrow, we’ll see the positives. The tie is very much alive, we played really well.

"We showed our qualities. We’ve been really competitive. The challenge is we need more on a consistent basis. We’ve showed we can play against the very best when we’re at our best.

"A really good performance from the team, very, very good in all phases, really.

I thought we limited them with a really good defensive performance from the team and I thought we attacked really well too.


"Although we didn’t create an abundance of clear-cut chances, I thought there were chances all through the game for us. It was great to see us finally score and then the last attack of the game, the last kick of the game, it’s a tough one to take."

On conceding the penalty:

"I think it is soft but Malick
(Thiaw) makes contact.

"We had our shape, there's no way we should concede that goal. We will look at it but I don't want it override the 93 minutes before that in which we were quality.

"I haven't seen the goal again and it's sort of a little bit unclear to me quite what happened. Sometimes you sort of don't get the fixed picture, so I'd need to see it again before sort of giving you my opinion.

"But certainly as a team, we should have done better. We defended so well for the game all through the game and in different phases. The goal seemed soft. I remember as the ball went through the middle of us and it should never happen at that stage of the game.”

On Anthony Gordon and William Osula:

"
With Anthony, that was (a fitness test) this morning and Anth didn't make it. That is a pretty good sign that he is not in the best physical condition.

"Doctors and everyone did a good job to get him at the start line for us, and I thought he made a good contribution when he came on.

"So it meant an opportunity for Will, his profile and his qualities were good for this game, that's why we selected him, his legs and pace, he is a willing runner.

"Up against a defensive high line, I thought it was the right choice. I thought he played well, I was really pleased with Will. There was not a goal for him, but he more than played his part."

On not fielding Yoane Wissa or Nick Woltemade:

"It is always a tough decision to not play players that I love. That is part of being a manager. I had to pick the team and do what was best for the group."
 

They Said

Hansi Flick said: 

"If you had asked me before the game with a 1-1, I was always happy.

"With the ball, we made not a good game. We lost too many balls, easy mistakes and this is what Newcastle only wants. When they get the ball, the transition they make is good, they have a lot of dynamic, very fast players, so it was not easy.

"But at the end, what I appreciated a lot from my team is that we defended together, the performance in defence was really good today.”

Stats


Newcastle are unbeaten in their last six European fixtures, the best run in the Champions League.

It's their best European sequence since going seven unbeaten in 2012/13 (Europa League).

Harvey Barnes
scored his 14th goal of the season and now has six to his name in European competition, putting him level with Obafemi Martins in the club's scoring chart.

Barnes is now one behind Anthony Gordon as the club's top scorer in all competitions this season. Gordon's 15 includes nine penalties, the 14 scored by Barnes includes none.

Round of 16 first leg results:

Tue 10.03.2026:
Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
Atalanta 1-6 Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid 5-2 Spurs
Newcastle 1-1 Barcelona

Wed 11.03.2026:
Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Arsenal
Bodo/Glimt 3-0 Sporting Lisbon
PSG 5-2 Chelsea
Real Madrid 3-0 Manchester City

This is the sixth meeting of the clubs, all in the CL:

1997/98 won 3-2 (h) Asprilla 3
1997/98 lost 0-1 (a)
2002/03 lost 1-3 (a) Sh.Ameobi
2002/03 lost 0-2 (h)
2025/26 lost 1-2 (h) Gordon
2025/26 drew 1-1 (h) Barnes

United's 21st CL home game saw them a first draw at SJP after 12 victories and eight defeats.

NUFC in the Champions League @ SJP:

1997/98 Croatia Zagreb won 2-1
1997/98 Barcelona won 3-2
1997/98 PSV Eindhoven lost 0-2
1997/98 Dynamo Kiev won 2-0
2002/03 Zeljeznicar won 4-0
2002/03 Feyenoord lost 0-1
2002/03 Juventus won 1-0
2002/03 Dynamo Kiev won 2-1
2002/03 Inter Milan lost 1-4
2002/03 Bayer Leverkusen won 3-1
2002/03 Barcelona lost 0-2
2003/04 Partizan Belgrade lost 0-1 (lost 3-4 pens)
2023/24 PSG won 4-1
2023/24 Borussia Dortmund lost 0-1
2023/24 AC Milan lost 1-2
2025/26 Barcelona lost 1-2
2025/26 Benfica won 3-0
2025/26 Athletic Bilbao won 2-0
2025/26 PSV Eindhoven won 3-0
2025/26 Qarabag FK won 3-2
2025/26 Barcelona drew 1-1

Spanish sides @ SJP - competitive games:

1968/69 Real Zaragoza (h) won 2-1 (FC)
1994/95 Atletico Bilbao (h) won 3-2 (UE)
1997/98 Barcelona (h) won 3-2 (CL)
2002/03 Barcelona (h) lost 0-2 (CL)
2003/04 Real Mallorca (h) won 4-1 (UE)
2005/06 Deportivo La Coruna (h) lost 1-2 (IT)
2006/07 Celta Vigo (h) won 2-1 (UE)
2025/26 Barcelona (h) lost 1-2 (CL)
2025/26 Barcelona (h) drew 1-1 (CL)

This was the sixth competitive meeting of these two sides - all in the Champions League:

2025/26
drew 1-1 (h) Barnes
2025/26
lost 1-2 (h) Gordon
1997/98 won 3-2 (h) Asprilla 3
1997/98
lost 0-1 (a)
2002/03 lost 1-3 (a) Sh.Ameobi
2002/03 lost 0-2 (h)

Spanish sides @ SJP - competitive games:

1968/69 Real Zaragoza (h) won 2-1 (Fairs Cup)
1994/95 Atletico Bilbao (h) won 3-2 (UEFA Cup)
1997/98 Barcelona (h) won 3-2 (Champs League)
2002/03 Barcelona (h) lost 0-2 (Champs League)
2003/04 Real Mallorca (h) won 4-1 (UEFA Cup)
2005/06 Deportivo La Coruna (h) lost 1-2 (Intertoto)
2006/07 Celta Vigo (h) won 2-1 (UEFA Cup)
2025/26
Barcelona (h) lost 1-2 (Champs League)
2025/26 Barcelona (h) drew 1-1 (Champs League)

Waffle

Eddie Howe called upon his players not to waste the chance of a Champions League last 16 home tie against illustrious opposition and for 90 minutes on Wednesday night they did just that, until the most tragic of finales unfolded in second half added time.

The La Liga leaders ran out 2-1 winners here in September after a scoreless first half and tonight's tie unfolded in similar style, Newcastle more than holding their own in a tense first 45 minutes after their expected frenetic start raised noise levels but didn't bring the hoped-for home goal.

The absence of Anthony Gordon from the starting line-up due to illness saw William Osula keep his place, leaving £120m+ of German and DR Congo strike talent benched and raising further questions about United's pre-season recruitment.

Without repeating last week's memorable contribution here against Manchester United, the Dane was more dangerous than on Saturday as he spearheaded an aggressive press. Heading one Elanga cross over, Osula then narrowly failed to connect with another decent delivery from the Swede.

Chances remained at a premium for both sides and neither 'keeper had been seriously called on by the mid point of the second period, when Robert Lewandowski shot just wide of Aaron Ramsdale's goal. Joan Garcia had palmed away a first half effort by Elanga as an offside flag was dubiously raised.

United made a treble switch in the hope of establishing a first leg advantage in the final quarter of the game, withdrawing Osula, Elanga and Kieran Trippier after signs that the latter's race was close to being run following another supreme effort.

And that reshuffle almost worked immediately, Jacob Murphy meeting a left wing centre from the immense Lewis Hall but firing wastefully over the Gallowgate crossbar.

Harvey Barnes then went even closer, pinging his 74th minute shot off the post before Joelinton knocked in the rebound from an offside position.

Although introducing Marcus Rashford from the bench, the visitors seemed content to play within themselves ahead of next week's second leg at the Nou Camp.

That all changed on 86 minutes when Murphy wrapped his right foot around the ball on the right and Barnes hit a cushioned low shot from six yards out that Garcia could only help into the net.

United did their best to stay on the front foot as the extra four minutes began - a second goal would have really blown the roof off and further altered the balance of the tie. Having readied Joe Willock to come on before hastily sitting him down after going one up, he appeared in place of the goalscorer - we're uncertain whether that was the original substitute plan.

However, Gordon's ambitious attempt at finding Sandro Tonali rather than playing a simpler ball to Jacob Ramsey began a sequence of events with grave consequences.

The hosts fatally surrendered territory and allowed Barca to press, Dani Olmo tempting Malick Thiaw into a risky challenge just inside the area as the minimum amount of time added on passed.

That gave the previously well-shackled Lamine Yamal the opportunity to send Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way from 12 yards before the much-maligned referee blew for full time - the penalty award the least contentious of his decisions.

Heartbreak for the Magpies then after a concluding act that was every bit as gut-wrenching as the 98th minute penalty that denied them a famous victory in Paris back in 2023.

Regardless of the eventual outcome of this two-legged tie, emulating the class of 1997 by winning here would have been a genuine achievement in isolation - and we came bloody close to pulling it off.

Once feelings of sorrow and frustration subside though, pride in the evident effort exhibited by United persists - together with the tantalising thought that although a miracle is still required in the Nou Camp to reach the last eight, it's now a slightly smaller one. We can still dream.

Biffa