Newcastle Vs Qarabag Fk — How a 9-3 Aggregate Win Resets the Champions League Path for Howe's Side

Why this matters: Newcastle's emphatic 9-3 aggregate victory over Qarabag moves them into the Champions League last 16 and forces an immediate shift in planning — rotation choices, injury lists and a Friday draw that will pair them with either Barcelona or Chelsea. The win preserves momentum but creates selection and rhythm questions for Eddie Howe ahead of a tougher opponent.

Immediate consequence: a last-16 tie and new selection pressures

Newcastle’s qualification changes the club’s focus from easing through a two-leg tie to preparing for a high-stakes knockout round. The draw to determine whether they face Barcelona or Chelsea is scheduled for Friday at 11: 00 GMT, and that outcome will shape how Eddie Howe manages minutes and recovery across the squad. Here’s the part that matters: minutes logged in this tie, and the availability of players, will influence who is trusted against elite opposition.

Newcastle Vs Qarabag Fk — the match in context and key events

The second leg at St James' Park finished as another Newcastle victory that confirmed a 9-3 aggregate scoreline after a 3-2 result on the night. Sandro Tonali opened in the fourth minute — his first ever goal in the competition — after Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski could only parry William Osula’s header into Tonali’s path. Joelinton followed with a volley from a Harvey Barnes cross a few minutes later, putting Newcastle two up early.

Qarabag rallied after the break: Camilo Duran pulled one back with a fine finish after skipping away from Dan Burn and slotting past Aaron Ramsdale, giving the travelling support a moment to remember following a mammoth 2, 500-mile journey. Sven Botman restored Newcastle’s advantage with a header from a Kieran Trippier corner, but Qarabag struck again after Dan Burn handled in the box. Aaron Ramsdale saved Marko Jankovic’s spot-kick, yet Elvin Cafarguliyev reacted quickest to score the rebound.

Newcastle pushed for a further goal but ultimately settled for the aggregate triumph that sealed a last-16 meeting with either Barcelona or Chelsea.

Line-up decisions, debuts and squad details

Eddie Howe made six changes to the side narrowly beaten by Manchester City at the weekend. Aaron Ramsdale started in goal in place of Nick Pope. Alex Murphy made his full Newcastle United bow in the Champions League, named in the starting XI at St. James' Park for his first outing in the competition. The Galway-born 21-year-old Republic of Ireland under-21 international has made six appearances so far — all from the bench, four of them this season — and his debut was as a late substitute against Chelsea in the Premier League in November 2023. He has since made two further substitute appearances in the league, two in the Carabao Cup and one in the FA Cup, and he spent the second half of last season on loan with Bolton Wanderers.

Starting XI: Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Trippier (c), Sven Botman, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, William Osula, Jacob Murphy, Nick Woltemade, Dan Burn, Alex Murphy. Substitutes named: Nick Pope, John Ruddy, Aidan Harris, Lewis Hall, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga, Joe Willock, Leo Shahar, Sean Neave.

Jacob Murphy made his 251st appearance for the club and had scored the final goal in last week’s tie; he is 31 today. Anthony Gordon, who scored four goals in Azerbaijan in the first leg and is celebrating his 25th birthday, was on the bench. Malick Thiaw, who also scored in Baku, was suspended for the tie.

Venue details: St. James' Park, Strawberry Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 4ST. Kick-off for the match was listed as 8: 00pm GMT.

Form, fitness and tactical notes from Howe's comments

Howe balanced rotation with the need to keep players sharp, stressing the delicate trade-off between resting key figures and maintaining the rhythm and good feeling within the squad. He expressed hope that players such as Sven Botman and Yoane Wissa would be available, noting the fine line between freshness and losing momentum.

Newcastle entered the tie already 6-1 up from the first leg in Baku, where Anthony Gordon scored four and Malick Thiaw and Jacob Murphy also found the net. Despite that cushion, Newcastle had been beaten 2-1 by Manchester City at the weekend in a match where the XI changed little. The Magpies’ recent home form is described as inconsistent, with three defeats in their last four matches at St James' Park in all competitions.

What the result changes and how to read the signals

• Newcastle progress to Champions League last 16 with a 9-3 aggregate win; next opponent will be Barcelona or Chelsea.
• Sandro Tonali has scored three goals in his past four games for Newcastle in all competitions and opened his Champions League account in this tie.
• Thiaw is suspended after collecting his third yellow card of the competition; several players remain unavailable for other reasons and some were classed as game-time decisions.
• Qarabag have conceded heavy scores across consecutive Champions League matches and have never beaten an English club in European competition.
• The draw to determine Newcastle’s opponent is scheduled for Friday at 11: 00 GMT; preparations will pivot once the opponent is known.

It’s easy to overlook, but the combination of rotation tonight and the pending draw compresses decisions for Howe: who starts and who is being preserved will matter more once the opponent is set. The real question now is how selection and recovery will be managed between domestic fixtures and a tougher last-16 opponent.

Key takeaways above summarise stakeholders and next signals that will confirm the team’s direction: minutes played in this tie, Friday’s draw result, and the reported availability of key squad members in the days ahead.