The Matchday 1 clash of the Champions League 2025/26 group stage between Newcastle and Barcelona will take place on September 18 at St. James' Park. Newcastle vs. Barcelona: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Newcastle
Finishing fifth in the last Premier League season earned Newcastle a spot in the Champions League. This will be the second time in the last three seasons that the British side competes in the tournament. In the 2023/24 Champions League, they managed only one win (2 draws, 3 losses) and finished at the bottom of Group F. Despite this, Newcastle conceded just seven goals, a figure only bettered by group winners Borussia Dortmund. In the current English championship, Eddie Howe's team isn't faring well, sitting in 10th place and just two points above the relegation zone.
- At least one goal has been scored in both halves in 4 of Newcastle's last 5 Champions League matches.
- In their last 6 Champions League outings, the club has never scored more than once.
Predicted lineup for Newcastle (5-4-1)
Nick Pope – Fabian Schär, Valentino Livramento, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Sven Botman – Joelinton, Bruno Guimarães, Harvey Barnes, Sandro Tonali – Nick Woltemade.
Midfielder Jacob Ramsey and forward Yoane Wissa are injured.
Barcelona
Having won the last La Liga season, the Catalans will participate in the Champions League group stage for the 22nd consecutive time. Notably, they have lifted the trophy four times during this period. In the 2025/26 Champions League, Hansi Flick's team finished second in the main stage, but Barcelona was unmatched in scoring (28 goals). The club reached the semi-finals in the playoffs, where they lost to Inter. Last season, the Spaniards suffered only two defeats in regular time in the Champions League (9 wins, 3 draws). Additionally, Barcelona, alongside Liverpool, is a top favorite to win this Champions League according to bookmakers.
- At least 4 goals have been scored in Barcelona's last five Champions League games.
- The team has scored in 10 consecutive away games in this tournament.
- Barcelona has conceded at least two goals in 7 of their last 8 away matches in the Champions League.
Predicted lineup for Barcelona (3-4-3)
Joan Garcia – Jules Koundé, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia – Marc Casado, Dani Olmo, Pedri, Fermín López – Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha Dias.
Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, defender Alex Balde, forward Lamine Yamal, and midfielder Gavi are injured.
Referee
Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Matches – 16 (International matches, 2024/25–2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 55;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.4;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 19%.
Newcastle vs. Barcelona: Match Prediction
Last season, Newcastle returned to the Champions League after a 10-year absence from European competitions. Lacking international experience, they struggled significantly. It remains uncertain if things will be easier this time, especially since Eddie Howe's team is in poor form ahead of the upcoming game. Their recent Premier League win was their first, even including pre-season friendlies.
It's unlikely that anything will prevent Barcelona from earning points. The Catalans would be favorites against Newcastle even if the English side were in better form. Throughout the last Champions League campaign, the team suffered only two defeats, and away from home, the Spaniards remained unbeaten in 5 of their last 6 matches in this tournament (4 wins, 1 draw).
Barcelona compensates for their defensive issues with attacking prowess. The team scores against all opponents, regardless of their status. In the last Champions League, the Spaniards found the net in every match, scoring at least twice in 11 games.
My prediction: Barcelona will not lose and Total over 1.5 goals
