Champions League round of 16 first leg: Newcastle vs Barcelona facts

The UEFA Champions League round of 16 brings together Newcastle United and Barcelona for the second time this season.

Newcastle – beaten 2-1 by their Spanish opponents at St James' Park on Matchday 1 – reached the round of 16 for the first time by beating Qarabağ 9-3 on aggregate in the knockout phase play-offs (6-1 a, 3-2 h) having finished 12th in the league phase.

Barcelona were fifth in the league phase to qualify for the round of 16 for the 20th time.

Last match

Two Marcus Rashford goals (58, 67) earned Barcelona a 2-1 win at Newcastle on 18 September despite Anthony Gordon's 90th-minute reply for the home side.

That was the sides' fifth meeting and Barça's fourth successive win.

Faustino Asprilla's hat-trick gave Newcastle a 3-2 victory at home on Matchday 1 of the 1997/98 Champions League, Barça winning the return 1-0 on Matchday 5. The Spanish team won 3-1 at home and 2-0 away in the 2002/03 second group stage.

A 2-0 win against Athletic Club on Matchday 4 made it five victories in Newcastle's eight home games against Spanish visitors (L3).

Newcastle's record in knockout ties against Spanish clubs is W1 L2; this is their first contest since losing 1-2 both away and at home against Deportivo La Coruña in the 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup semi-final.

Barcelona were beaten 3-0 at Chelsea on Matchday 5 to make it three defeats in their last four away games against English clubs – the exception their win at Newcastle.

The Catalan club have won the first leg in five of their last six Champions League knockout ties against English teams (D1).

Barcelona have won ten of their 15 two-legged Champions League ties against Premier League clubs but lost the last, against Liverpool in the 2018/19 semi finals (3-0 h, 0-4 a).

Barça have won their last five round of 16 ties against English teams.

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 Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan two seasons ago (W1 D2 L3), their sole win a 4-1 home success against the French club.

Barcelona 

This is Barcelona's 30th campaign in the Champions League proper, a competition record they share with Real Madrid. They have featured every season since 2003/04.

Second in last season's league phase, Hansi Flick's side beat Benfica at this stage (1-0 a, 3-1 h) and Dortmund (5-3 aggregate) before losing to Inter in the semi-finals (6-7).

Key stats

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

The Magpies are in the round of 16 for the first time, although they did reach the 16-team second group stage in 2002/03.

This is Newcastle's first appearance in the last 16 of a UEFA competition since losing 2-4 on aggregated to Benfica in the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.

Victory against Qarabağ was Newcastle's eighth in their last ten European ties.

The English side have lost the home leg in only two of their last 32 European ties (W22 D8).

Newcastle have lost only one of their last nine Champions League matches (W6 D2), winning the last four at home.

Barcelona have won 15 of their last 16 Champions League round of 16 ties.

A 4-1 win at home to Copenhagen on Matchday 8 was Barcelona's third successive Champions League victory.

Barcelona have only failed to score in one of their last 28 Champions League games.

However, the Spanish side are without a clean sheet in 11 matches in the competition.

Aged 18 years 240 days, Lamine Yamal could become the youngest player to make 30 appearances in the Champions League proper, surpassing Warren Zaïre Emery’s record (19 years 227 days).