Champions League knockout phase play-off second leg: Newcastle vs Qarabağ facts

Newcastle United have a comfortable cushion as Qarabağ come to Tyneside to conclude their UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off.

The English side – in the knockout rounds for the first time – were 6-1 winners in the first leg in Azerbaijan on 18 February. Anthony Gordon became the 18th player to score four goals in a Champions League match – all in the first half (3, 32pen, 33, 45+1pen) – with Malick Thiaw (8) and Jacob Murphy (72) also on target, Elvin Jafarguliyev getting a consolation for the home team (54).

Newcastle were 12th in the league phase table on 14 points (W4 D2 L2); Qarabağ were 22nd on ten (W3 D1 L4).

Last match

The first leg was the teams' first meeting and Newcastle's first fixture against a team from Azerbaijan.

Qarabağ are winless in their ten meetings with English opposition (D1 L9), losing 0-6 at Liverpool on Matchday 8. They had drawn their previous fixture, however, 2-2 at home to Chelsea on Matchday 4.

The Baku club have lost all five away games against English opponents with one goal scored and 19 conceded.

This is Qarabağ's first European knockout tie against a Premier League club.

Newcastle

This is Newcastle's fourth campaign in the Champions League proper, although only their second since 2002/03, when they reached the second group stage. This is the first time they have qualified for the knockout rounds.

Eddie Howe's side were fourth in their section behind Dortmund, Paris and AC Milan two seasons ago (W1 D2 L3), their sole win that home success against the French club.

Qarabağ

This is Qarabağ's second participation in the Champions League proper, following their group stage appearance in 2017/18, when they were fourth in a section including Chelsea, Atlético de Madrid and Roma, both their points coming from draws against the Spanish side. They are the only team from Azerbaijan to feature.

This is the 12th successive season in which Qarabağ have taken part in a UEFA group stage/league phase. They lost seven of their eight games (W1) in last season's UEFA Europa League to finish in 36th place.

Key stats

Newcastle are the tenth English club to appear in the Champions League knockout rounds.

The Magpies' most recent European knockout appearance came in 2012/13, when they reached the Europa League quarter finals.

Eddie Howe's side have lost only one of their last eight Champions League games (W5 D2) – winning the last three at home without conceding.

The first leg was Newcastle's biggest Champions League victory and equalled their largest European win. It was the first time they had scored six goals in a UEFA competition match.

Newcastle have never lost a European match by more than three goals. This is the third time they have won the first leg of a tie by a five-goal margin.

Gordon became the first English player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League knockout phase and only the second to score four in a game in the competition, after Harry Kane for Bayern München against GNK Dinamo in last season's league phase.

Gordon has ten goals in this season's Champions League; he is only the second English player to reach double figures in a single edition, Kane hitting 11 in 2024/25, and is also now Newcastle's all-time top scorer in the competition on ten goals.

Newcastle have lost the home leg in only two of their last 31 European ties (W21 D8).

Qarabağ are making their Champions League knockout debut; they are the first club from Azerbaijan to reach this stage of the competition.

Qarabağ have won eight of their last ten two-legged European ties.

The Baku club's biggest European victory is by a five-goal margin on three occasions – most recently in the 2024/25 Champions League third qualifying round against Ludogorets (1-2 h, 7-2 a).