Newcastle vs Barcelona: is the hell of St. James' Park hot enough?
by Tyler Doty | by Tyler Doty
Newcastle vs Barcelona: first clash at St James' Park
After missing out on last season's competition, Newcastle are back in the Champions League with the ambition of securing a place in the last 24 to continue their adventure. The Magpies will get straight down to business by welcoming one of the competition's big favorites, FC Barcelona. Eddie Howe's players will have to pull off a feat to beat the Catalans, who are in great form at the start of the season and are logically the favorite in this matchup (see our Newcastle vs Barcelona prediction). The English side has had a slow start to its Premier League season and will be hoping to take advantage of the electric atmosphere at St. James' Park to bring down Barcelona.
Last season's semi-finalists, Barça, are aiming for nothing less than victory in this new edition of the Champions League. Hansi Flick's troops have made a good start to their La Liga season and are approaching this first trip to Europe with confidence. The Catalans remember last season's poor start in Monaco and will be keen to avoid a repeat, even if the rest of the campaign turned out well. In a hostile environment in the north of England, Barça will be looking to make an impression, and that will mean taking all three points in a stadium where it is always difficult to win.
Barça are the favorites
As last season's semi-finalists, FC Barcelona will logically start tonight's match away at Newcastle. The Blaugranas have their sights set high in the 2025/2026 Champions League, and even though it will be a long road ahead, Robert Lewandowski and his teammates will be keen to get off to a good start.
The Catalans are already off to a strong start this season, with three wins in four La Liga games. They have scored 13 goals in four games, including a 6-0 rout of Valencia last weekend. Although Lamine Yamal will be missing due to an injury sustained during the international break, Barça has a solid team that should enable it to cause Newcastle problems on the opening day. Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Ferran Torres, who were impressive last season, will have to compensate for the absence of their prodigy, a task that the Spaniards should be able to accomplish without any problems.
Can the magic of St. James' Park work its charm?
The historic home of the Magpies, St. James' Park is one of, if not the loudest, stadiums in England. The atmosphere there gives Newcastle's players an extra boost in spirit, with a rare intensity that can unsettle their opponents on the pitch.
But at the start of this season, Eddie Howe's team is struggling to convince. With only one win in four Premier League games, including a home defeat against Liverpool on August 25 (2-3), a Champions League match is always a special occasion at St. James' Park, and many teams have come unstuck there in the past...
