Newcastle’s Potential Champions League Round of 16 Rivals and Path to Final
The recent Champions League playoff saw Newcastle United achieve a commanding 6-1 victory over Qarabag in the first leg. In the return leg at St James’ Park, they secured a 3-2 win. While they did not break any record for a two-legged tie, the focus shifted to potential adversaries in the Champions League Round of 16.
Champions League Round of 16 Overview
The Champions League has adopted a new format known as the Swiss Model. In this structure, the knockout stage bracket is primarily determined by the finishing positions from the league phase. The top eight teams from this phase will face the eight winners from the knockout playoffs, like Newcastle.
Matchup Format
| League Phase Position | Potential Opponents |
|---|---|
| 1st & 2nd | winner of 15/16 vs. 17/18 |
| 3rd & 4th | winner of 13/14 vs. 19/20 |
| 5th & 6th | winner of 11/12 vs. 21/22 |
| 7th & 8th | winner of 9/10 vs. 23/24 |
Newcastle’s Potential Opponents
In the Round of 16, Newcastle could potentially face either Barcelona or Chelsea. The team’s league phase position placed them 12th, resulting in their matchup with hapless Qarabag, who finished 22nd. The victor of this playoff will meet either Barcelona, which finished fifth, or Chelsea, positioned sixth in the league phase.
Recent Encounters
Newcastle had a thrilling 2-2 draw against Chelsea earlier this season at St James’ Park, where they led 2-0. They are set to visit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on March 14, 2024, notably scheduled between potential encounter dates against either team on March 10/11 and March 17/18.
Additionally, Newcastle played against Barcelona in their league phase opener this season, where they lost 2-1, with Marcus Rashford scoring twice for the Catalan club.
Potential Knockout Phase Matchups
- Arsenal (1st): Possible opponents include Atalanta/Borussia Dortmund or Bayer Leverkusen/Olympiacos.
- Bayern Munich (2nd): Matching with Atalanta/Borussia Dortmund or Bayer Leverkusen/Olympiacos is possible.
- Liverpool (3rd): Expected opponents could be Juventus/Galatasaray or Atletico Madrid/Club Brugge.
- Tottenham Hotspur (4th): Likely facing Juventus/Galatasaray or Atletico Madrid/Club Brugge.
- Barcelona (5th): Will meet either Monaco/Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United/Qarabag.
- Chelsea (6th): Possible matchup with Monaco/Paris Saint-Germain or Newcastle United/Qarabag.
- Sporting CP (7th): Could face Inter Milan/Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid/Benfica.
- Manchester City (8th): Expected opponents include Inter Milan/Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid/Benfica.
The excitement builds as Newcastle United prepares for the next stage of the Champions League, with the potential of facing elite clubs as they aim for glory.
