Barcelona v Newcastle LIVE: Team news as Gordon set for Champions League return after Shearer and Rooney criticism | OneFootball

Anthony Gordon started on the bench in the first leg due to illness (Getty Images)

Newcastle head to Barcelona and the iconic Camp Nou looking to keep their Champions League dream alive following a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park last week.

Lamine Yamal’s 96th-minute penalty rescued a draw for the visitors in the last-16 first leg, after Harvey Barnes had fired Eddie Howe’s side in front.

It means Newcastle have it all to do as they visit the Spanish league leaders, but the Magpies secured a confidence boosting 1-0 win at Chelsea at the weekend.

Anthony Gordon scored the winner at Stamford Bridge before responding to “nonsense” from Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer, who criticised the winger after he was unable to start the first leg against Barcelona due to illness.

Now Gordon is set to return from the start as Newcastle plot a famous upset on their first trip to Barcelona since December 2002 and their biggest Champions League night in a generation.

Howe's key to victory

Some more from the Newcastle manager here. Asked yesterday what his team needs to advance to the quarter-finals, he unsurprisingly said “a bit of everything.”

“We will try to be ourselves,” he said. “A defensive mentality [like] against Chelsea [whom they defeated at Stamford Bridge on Saturday] - blocking shots, defending in numbers. But also a bit of what we do best - our running capacity, our athleticism. There has been a really good battle between their midfield and ours in both games. We are going to need to be very good in our duels. The battle in midfield will go a long way to deciding the game.”

Alan Smith18 March 2026 16:05

Howe understands the importance

In his pre-match press conference Eddie Howe said that a win tonight would “probably” be the biggest of his career. But the Newcastle manager is also confident that his team will not “shrink” against their Catalan hosts.

“We have many, many internationals in the squad so I don’t see that as an issue,” he said. “We have enough players who can cause them problems. We’ll enjoy the game, but we’ll only truly enjoy it if we deliver. I think we’re in a good place to do that, and the players are probably as confident as they’ve been in any stage this season. “

Alan Smith18 March 2026 15:50