Newcastle’s potential Champions League opponents ahead of last 16 draw | OneFootball

Newcastle United are proving that they are a competitive Champions League team as they look to progress further in the European top-flight.

Four wins and two draws (plus two defeats) was not enough to ensure that Eddie Howe’s side finished in the top eight spots of the league phase table and a battling 1-1 draw with PSG on the final matchday of the phase meant both teams entered the play-off stage.

Newcastle were drawn against Qarabag who finished 22nd in the table and Azerbaijani side’s form all but abandoned them in the first leg as Anthony Gordon inspired the Magpies to a 6-1 rout in Baku.

The five-goal deficit between the teams seems too much for Qarabag to handle in the second leg and, with Eddie Howe expected to make a heap of changes, it should be a mere formality for the Magpies to progress on aggregate.

Three wins from their last four matches across all competitions puts Newcastle in good form but will they be strong enough to battle past their opponents in the round of 16?

Coming through the play-off stage means that Newcastle will only face one of two opponents: Chelsea or Barcelona. Those two clubs have been paired together after finishing fifth and sixth in the league phase and will be drawn on opposite sides of the bracket.

Whichever team ends up facing Newcastle the other will play either Paris Saint-Germain on Monaco with the reigning Champions League holders edging their play-off tie 3-2 after the first leg.

The Champions League last-16 draw will take place in Nyon at 11am GMT (12pm local time) on Friday 27 February.

The draw will be streamed live on Uefa’s website, YouTube channel and Champions League app.

What are the match dates?

The last-16 ties will take place in mid-March. Here are the remaining round dates:

Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026