Champions League football returns to St James' Park on Wednesday evening, when Newcastle United and Athletic Bilbao cross paths on matchday four of the league phase.
The Magpies are on the hunt for a third straight victory in Europe's elite competition after successes over Union SG and Benfica, and Eddie Howe's men enter matchday four in the top eight of the table, which would secure an automatic last-16 place.
Meanwhile, Ernesto Valverde's men took down Qarabag 3-1 last time out in Europe after opening defeats to Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, a set of results that has left them 21st in the 36-team table.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 2
Newcastle United wins: 1
Draws: 0
Athletic Bilbao wins: 1
The 2025-26 Champions League will mark the first time that Newcastle United and Athletic Bilbao have met in the continent's premier tournament, and just the third time in history that they have collided competitively.
The Magpies and the Basque outfit first did battle in the second round of the 1994-95 UEFA Cup, where owing to the now-abolished away goals rule, Athletic advanced after a 3-3 aggregate draw over two legs.
St James' Park was the venue for the sides' maiden meeting in October 1994, and thanks to strikes from Andy Cole, Peter Beardsley and Ruel Fox before the hour mark, Newcastle were seemingly cruising to victory.
However, Kevin Keegan's men allowed their visitors back into the game, as Cuco Ziganda and Gontzal Suances reduced the deficit in the final 20 minutes of the match, and those defensive lapses from Newcastle would prove fatal.
The return fixture took place two weeks later at Athletic's San Mames home, where Ziganda was on target again in the 67th minute, before Ander Garitano wasted a chance to double the hosts' lead from the penalty spot.
Nevertheless, that one-goal triumph was enough to send Athletic through on away goals, although the Spanish outfit were then bested 4-3 by eventual winners Parma in the third round.
Newcastle and Athletic have crossed paths since that two-legged affair, locking horns at St James' Park in a summer 2022 friendly, where Eddie Howe oversaw a 2-1 victory courtesy of strikes from Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin.
Last two meetings
Nov 01, 1994: Athletic 1-0 Newcastle (UEFA Cup)
Oct 18, 1994: Newcastle 3-2 Athletic (UEFA Cup)
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