Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes.placeholder image
Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes. | Getty Images
Newcastle United are back in Champions League action this week against Athletic Club.
After a 2-1 opening matchday defeat at home to Barcelona, Newcastle have responded well with big wins over Union Saint-Gilloise and Benfica.
Newcastle’s six points and healthy goal difference sees them sitting eighth in the Champions League group phase table heading into matchday four.
A top eight finish would be enough to secure progress straight to the last-16 of the competition. Finishing ninth to 24th results in a seeded play-off tie for a spot in the last-16.
While Newcastle reached the last-16 of the Champions League back in 2002/03, they have never played a knockout match in the competition. But the new format has improved their chances of doing that this season.
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Newcastle United’s Champions League fixtures
After facing Bilbao on Wednesday, Newcastle then have back-to-back away matches against Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen before hosting PSV Eindhoven in the new year. They wrap up their group phase campaign away to Paris Saint-Germain at the end of January.
Last season, 11 points from the eight group phase matches saw three teams, including Manchester City, advance to the play-off round of the competition on goal difference. While 16 points was enough for Aston Villa to secure the final top eight spot and progress straight to the last-16.
Given how the results in the opening three matchdays have unfolded, the points total required to advance to the next stage of the competition is expected to be lower this season.
According to data experts, Opta, as little as nine points could be enough to finish in the top 24 while 16 points is expected to remain the benchmark for a top eight finish.
A win against Athletic Club would take Newcastle to nine points with four games left to play, giving them a great chance of progressing to the knockout stages. It’s been a frustrating season for Newcastle so far, with a clear disparity between their Premier League form, goals and performances compared to those in the Champions League.
Opta predicts final Champions League table
Newcastle’s predicted finish, according to the data experts, would see them face PSV in the play-off round. Though the reality is likely to be quite different.
Here is the predicted table in full...
36. Kairat Almaty - 3.39xpts
35. Ajax - 5.13xpts
34. FC Copenhagen - 5.84xpts
33. Bodo/Glimt - 6.46xpts
32. Slavia Prague - 6.60xpts
31. Pafos - 7.29xpts
30. Benfica - 7.44xpts
29. Olympiacos - 7.60xpts
28. Athletic Club - 7.84xpts
27. Bayer Leverkusen - 8.17xpts
26. Union Saint-Gilloise - 8.47xpts
25. Monaco - 8.49xpts
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24. Villarreal - 8.53xpts
23. Eintracht Frankfurt - 8.57xpts
22. PSV Eindhoven - 8.97xpts
21. Marseille - 9.03xpts
20. Juventus - 9.62xpts
19. Club Brugge - 9.64xpts
18. Qarabag - 10.27xpts
17. Atalanta - 10.78xpts
16. Atletico Madrid - 11.14xpts
15. Napoli - 11.15xpts
14. Sporting CP - 11.90xpts
13. Galatasaray - 12.25xpts
12. Tottenham Hotspur - 13.17xpts
11. Newcastle United - 14.09xpts
10. Borussia Dortmund - 14.23xpts
9. Chelsea - 15.32xpts
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8. Barcelona - 15.43xpts
6. Inter Milan - 16.92xpts
5. Real Madrid - 16.95xpts
4. Bayern Munich - 17.10xpts
3. Manchester City - 17.22xpts
2. Paris Saint-Germain - 18.63xpts
1. Arsenal - 19.53xpts
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