Newcastle take on Barcelona in a big Champions League test tonight...
Newcastle United are at home to Barcelona on Thursday night as they prepare for what they hope will be a strong run in this season’s Champions League.
Eddie Howe and his players have been here before, of course, but were knocked out of the group stage two season ago. Since then, however, the club has continued to go from strength to strength.
Back in Europe’s top club competition again this year, Newcastle also won the Carabao Cup final last season, ending a decades-long wait for silverware. Another big transfer window followed, in which exciting talents such as Anthony Elanga,Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa all joined.
Newcastle United have now also signed a multi-year partnership with global cryptocurrency exchangeBYDFi, marking an important step in the club’s continued international expansion.
This could be an exciting model for Newcastle to follow, as we’ve already seen Serie A clubs embracing this kind of deal as well, with Juventus, Napoli, Inter Milan and AC Milan all having agreements in place with crypto companies this season.
Lazio also previously had an agreement in place worth as much as €30m a year, though it expired in 2024. Inter are now thought to make as much as €16m per year from Socios.com.
Newcastle looking to the future
Newcastle’s decision to align with a global crypto exchange not only provides the club with a very welcome financial boost, but also positions them as ambitious and forward-thinking.
We’ve seen that from NUFC already with their superb work to improve on the pitch year in, year out under this ownership, and smart business decisions like this could eventually help them emulate what Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have achieved.
It took both clubs a long time to finally win the Champions League, but PSG are the current holders and City won it just over two years ago after years of building not only a football club but a business.
Newcastle will have similar ambitions after getting a taste for winning silverware last season, so are we now seeing them heading along on a similar path to glory? It certainly seems like they’re an increasingly slick organisation determined to be the best they can be.
So while all eyes will be on St James’ Park this week for the visit of a European powerhouse like Barcelona, Newcastle fans can also rest assured that their club is in good hands and making the crucial decisions off the pitch that can pave the way for more success on it.