Newcastle head to Qarabag for first-ever UCL knockout tie | OneFootball

Newcastle United make the long trip to Qarabag for the first leg of their Champions League play-off round tie.

The 2,529-mile journey to face the Azerbaijani side is the longest distance ever travelled by an English club in the competition. The 2025-26 campaign is Newcastle’s fourth in the Champions League, though, incredibly, tonight’s tie is their first-ever knockout stage clash.

Despite some memorable European ventures, the Magpies have never advanced to the latter rounds of the Champions League.

1997–98 UEFA Champions League – Group Stage

After a runners-up finish in the Premier League the previous season, Newcastle qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 1997-98. At that stage, just a 24-team tournament, Kenny Dalglish’s side were handed a tough group, featuring Dynamo Kyiv, PSV Eindhoven, and Barcelona.

Faustino Asprilla’s historic hat-trick downed Barcelona at St James’ Park in their opening fixture, but Newcastle failed to win again until matchday six. Home and away losses to PSV proved costly, as the Magpies finished third. Only the group winners were guaranteed to advance, with Dynamo Kyiv progressing to the quarter-finals.

Iconic Performances: Asprilla’s hat-trick downs the mighty Barcelona at St James’ Park

2002–03 UEFA Champions League – Second Group Stage

When Newcastle next qualified for the Champions League, a short-lived second group stage had been introduced to the format. Bobby Robson’s men progressed past the first group stage in historic fashion, as the first team to go through after losing their first three games. Craig Bellamy’s last-gasp goal at Feyenoord sealed their place in the next stage.

In the second group stage, Newcastle were handed a ‘Group of Death. Robson’s side were paired with Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Bayer Leverkusen, who had ended the previous season as Champions League runners-up. Newcastle beat Leverkusen in both fixtures, but ended third in the group to go out.

2003–04 UEFA Champions League – Third qualifying round

A Champions League campaign that ended before it had started. Newcastle suffered a shock loss to Partizan Belgrade in qualifying, despite winning 1-0 in Serbia in the first leg. In the return, the Magpies lost 1-0 with Partizan progressing on penalties. Alan Shearer, Kieron Dyer, and Aaron Hughes all missed from the spot.

2023–24 UEFA Champions League – Group Stage

Newcastle might be one of the most relieved sides at the new league phase format, given their bad luck with draws. Another Group of Death awaited Newcastle on their Champions League return in 2023-24, following a two-decade absence.

Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan were the opponents, with Eddie Howe’s side missing out on progress. A famous 4-1 win over PSG added another night to remember in this competition, but it was the club’s sole win in six games.

Read – Elanga backs Howe to turn Newcastle’s season around

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