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Newcastle United are on the brink of Champions League qualification after beating Chelsea on Sunday.
Newcastle United are set to be the lowest-ranked club in the Champions League next season.
Of course, that depends on the Magpies sealing their fate in the final two games of the campaign. Newcastle took a huge stride towards qualification with a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.
Billed as a possible top-five decider, Eddie Howe’s men were not at their devastating best but edged out a 10-man Blues outfit to move within a whisker of next year’s Champions League. Just one win from the final two games will be enough to book Newcastle a spot at UEFA’s top table given their superior goal difference.
Newcastle United to become UEFA minnows
Social media boffins Football Rankings have published a projected list of the pots for next season’s competition. Similar to two years ago, Newcastle are set to be placed in pot four alongside the likes of Celtic, Red Star Belgrade and Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gillois.
🚨 Champions League - Projected Pots.
🇩🇪 Dortmund in Pot 1
🇵🇹 Benfica in Pot 2
🇳🇴 Bodø/Glimt in Pot 3
🇧🇪 Union SG in Pot 4
📢 Check our Page (☝️ in bio) for regular updates, including seeding + % chances in the qualifiers. pic.twitter.com/Ry9etuOmeD
— Football Rankings (@FootRankings) May 13, 2025
Coefficient rankings are based on historical performance in UEFA competition over the last five seasons. With the Magpies competing in Europe just once - winning a single game - they place bottom out of all 34 clubs.
To make matters worse, Newcastle do not even use their own score of 17.386. The Magpies rank so low that they must adopt the Premier League’s (22.924) coefficient.
Revamped UEFA model should create easier Newcastle United path
Unlike two years ago, when Newcastle were destined to be placed in a “group of death”, the revamped Champions League should make life easier. Clubs draw two teams from each category, one home and one away, meaning the Magpies will play against fellow pot four sides.
That will still guarantee huge clashes against behemoths in pot one while ensuring fixtures against clubs with lesser European pedigree. Newcastle famously drew Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund last season.
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Eddie Howe issues Champions League battle cry
Howe urged his players to “drive forward” and seal a Champions League place following the win against Chelsea. He told reporters: “We still have two games to go and lots of twists and turns that could be around the corner.
“We can’t sit back and look at it that way. We have to drive forward, reflect on our next game and make sure we’re ready for Arsenal because that is a very, very tough match.
“We know how tight it is with the teams around us, so we’re not taking anything for granted. I have to say, the players have been magnificent in that respect for a long, long time, but we go again next week.”
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