Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe looks on before the English English FA Cup fifth round football match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Paul Currie / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe looks on before the English English FA Cup fifth round football match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on March 7, 2026. (Photo by Paul Currie / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Newcastle United host Barcelona in the first-leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday night.
Eddie Howe has described Newcastle United’s Champions League last 16 first-leg tie at home to Barcelona on Tuesday night as the biggest game in the club’s history.
While the Magpies have reached the last 16 of the competition as part of a second group stage in 2002-03, they have never done so in a knockout match.
United finished the league phase in 12th position before thrashing Azerbaijan champions Qarabag 9-3 in their two-legged play-off to set up a meeting with Barcelona.
It will be the sixth time Newcastle have played Barcelona in the Champions League, having famously beaten the La Liga giants 3-2 on Tyneside in September 1997 via Tino Asprilla’s hat-trick.
They have, however, lost every meeting since then. The two clubs have already faced each other in this season’s league phase, with Hansi Flick’s side emerging as 2-1 winners at St James’ Park after Marcus Rashford’s brace cancelled out Anthony Gordon’s goal.
Barcelona game is the biggest in Newcastle United’s history - Eddie Howe
In his nearly five years in charge, Howe has led Newcastle to two cup finals, successfully ending the club’s 56-year trophy drought by beating Liverpool at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup 12 months ago.
But Howe has suggested the Barcelona game is bigger.
Howe said: “I think they're obviously long-term questions, my focus is really short-term and it's trying to win the game that's in front of me and that's Barcelona in the Champions League.
“I think we have to be, as much as it's easy to be very negative in this moment, I understand we've gone out of the FA Cup but we have the biggest game in the club's history coming up in no time at all.
“We've got to get the players ready for that, we've got no time to dwell on this.”
Asked to clarify his statement, Howe replied: “Well, we've never been in this position in the Champions League before and it's the best competition there is, so, for obvious reasons, I think it's a massive game in our history.
“We need to approach it that way. We need the supporters to think that way, and we need to try and find some energy from somewhere that will elevate our performance to a level that we've not seen before this season, because I think that's the only way that we'll get through it.”
Eddie Howe’s comments will divide opinion - let us know your thoughts
While few can argue otherwise if basing it on potential revenue, Howe’s comments will spark debate on what actually is/has been the biggest game in the club’s 134-year history.
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!
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