Newcastle United will face Barcelona at the Camp Nou for the third time in their Champions League history this evening
Newcastle United faced Barcelona in the Nou Camp in 1997
Newcastle United faced Barcelona in the Nou Camp in 1997(Image: Getty Images)
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As Newcastle United prepare to face Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday evening, special memories will come flooding back to former Magpies defender Aaron Hughes.
It was back in November 1997 when Newcastle first visited Barcelona's famous home in the Champions League. Having beaten the Catalan giants 3-2 just two months earlier at St James' Park, Kenny Dalglish's side arrived with a quiet confidence.
A 17-year-old Hughes had been an unused substitute in that game and was on the bench again as United looked to secure a famous win.
And when he was called upon at half-time to replace the injured Philippe Albert, the former Northern Ireland international was faced with the surreal scenario of making his professional debut as a footballer at the Camp Nou in the Champions League.
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"It is something that is quite nice to have on the CV," Hughes told Chronicle Live in an interview back in September.
"The stadium was quite empty because I think their fans had boycotted the game because they couldn’t qualify.
"But there were still maybe 25,000 at the game but I just remember the Newcastle fans way up at the top, soaking wet, and I look back now and think it was a special time."
It was a credit to Hughes that he emerged from the game with some credit and he went on to have a very good career in the Premier League across spells with Newcastle, Aston Villa and Fulham.
Many players may have succumbed to such an occasion but Hughes rose to it and it gave him the platform to enjoy eight successful seasons on Tyneside.
"We lost two centre-backs in the first 45 minutes so by the time the decision was made they were going to make a change there was only a few minutes left before the second half kicked off," Hughes added.
"I didn’t have much time to think about it when I was told I was going on. It was quickly putting on my shinpads and my socks and it was ready to go.
"It was literally a scramble to get ready so maybe it was a good thing that I was able to just roll out and get on with it."
Newcastle lost 1-0 in Catalonia but that would prove to be Barcelona's only win in the group. A win and a draw over Dynamo Kyiv was not enough for the Magpies to go through, though, as successive defeats to PSV meant they ended the group in third place.
Hughes would play for Newcastle in the Champions League again five seasons later as Sir Bobby Robson's side beat the likes of Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Feyenoord and Dynamo Kyiv before finishing third in the second group stage behind Barcelona again and Inter Milan. It would take United another 20 years before they qualified for the competition again in 2023.
Aaron Hughes (L) in action for Newcastle United against Barcelona
Aaron Hughes (L) in action for Newcastle United against Barcelona in 2002(Image: 2002 Getty Images)
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He was also part of a Robson side that challenged for the Premier League title and reached the UEFA Cup semi-finals against Marseille in 2004 and he admits it is only now he looks back on his career that he can appreciate the magnitude of what his Magpies side achieved.
“I only appreciate things properly after stepping out of the game," Hughes continued.
"At the time it was almost normal because we were pushing for the Premier League title and we were qualifying for the Champions League.
"When I look back now and my career after leaving Newcastle, I never got the opportunity to play in the Champions League again so I wish I had taken a moment to, not enjoy it, but to appreciate it and savour it a wee bit more than I did at the time.
"It was a great time at the club and I have always since then felt like the club and the city thrives in the Champions League so it is just great to see the club back there again."
Newcastle United take on Barcelona this evening in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with things finely poised following the 1-1 draw in the first leg at St James' Park.
A win in Spain would see the Magpies reach the quarter-finals stage of the competition for the first time in the club's history.
You can read the full interview with Aaron Hughes, here.
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