Alan Shearer has revealed that he will not be in attendance for Newcastle United’s Champions League opener against Barcelona on Thursday.
After the win against Wolves on Saturday, fans are starting to get excited about the Magpies’ season. On Thursday, there is a huge game in the offing, with La Liga giants Barcelona coming to Tyneside.
The Champions League is back, and after a year out, Newcastle United are back in the competition following their fifth-place Premier League finish last season.
Newcastle could not have asked for a better game to kick off their return to the Champions League; an exciting clash with one of the best teams in the world. Fans will be hoping there will be a repeat of Newcastle’s historic win against PSG on Thursday, but they will have to be at the top of their game after Barca’s 6-0 win against Valencia.
One fan who will not be attending the game is Newcastle legend Alan Shearer, who revealed why he cannot make it on Monday.
Alan Shearer doing punditry before a Premier League game between Newcastle United and Manchester United.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Why Alan Shearer will not be at Newcastle United vs Barcelona
Shearer was very complimentary of Nick Woltemade, who scored on his Newcastle debut against Wolves on Saturday. The German is likely to start against Barca on Thursday with Yoane Wissa out injured.
However, Newcastle’s record goalscorer will not be at the game, as he has other commitments with the Premier League.
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On the Rest is Football Podcast, Shearer shared why he cannot make it, and exactly how gutted he is.
“Can you believe it? The fan fest that the Premier League do in the United States, this has been arranged for such a long time.
“I’m going to Kansas and my flight’s on Thursday. Can you believe that? I’m going to miss the game. I can’t believe it. Nightmare for me, unfortunately.”
With a little bit of luck, Shearer can attend one of the other home games Newcastle have against Benfica, Athletic Club and PSV Eindhoven.
It is not the first time Alan Shearer has missed a Newcastle game involving Barcelona
Shearer’s playing days are long gone now, so he gets to enjoy watching his boyhood club from afar. TV cameras caught Shearer at Wembley for the Carabao Cup final, cutting to him whenever a goal was scored.
While he is missing the Barca game as a fan in 2025, Shearer only played against them once during his 10 years at Newcastle.
That is even though Newcastle came up against the Spanish side on four occasions between 1997 and 2003.
Shearer was injured for Newcastle’s 3-2 win against Barca in 1997, which included Tino Asprilla’s legendary hat-trick at St James’ Park.
The only game the Toon legend was involved in was a 2-0 defeat in 2003, which featured goals from a young Thiago Motta and Patrick Kluivert, who joined the Magpies a year later.