Newcastle United qualified for the Champions League but will be the competition’s minnows next season.
It was tense, unexpected and completely Newcastle United - but Eddie Howe and Co are Champions League material once again. Telling a Toon fan before the game that Everton will win 1-0 would have sent shockwaves reverberating around Tyneside.
In true Newcastle fashion, they threatened to take the edge off what looked nailed on to be the club’s best season for almost a century. But a helping hand from Manchester United confirmed the Magpies a spot among the European elite next year.
Supporters can now dust off their passports and begin working out who Newcastle could play in 2024-25. A revamped UEFA format means the Magpies cannot be placed as the whipping boys in a “group of death” - as was the case two years ago.
But minimal European experience in recent years still makes Newcastle a minnow - at least statistically - on the biggest stage. Check out everything you need to know after 29 of the 36 Champions League clubs were confirmed over the weekend.
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.
✅ ALL 29/29 DIRECT ENTRIES confirmed their spots in the league stage of the Champions League!
🏴 England - 6 clubs
🇪🇸 Spain - 5 clubs
🇮🇹 Italy - 4 clubs
🇩🇪 Germany - 4 clubs
🇫🇷 France - 3 clubs
🇳🇱 Netherlands - 2 clubs
🇵🇹 Portugal - 1 club
🇧🇪 Belgium - 1 club
🇹🇷 Türkiye - 1… pic.twitter.com/QLpjBSUqaL
— Football Rankings (@FootRankings) May 26, 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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‘We deserved it’ - Eddie Howe
Howe believes Newcastle’s qualification was justified despite the final-day defeat. He said post-match: “It feels great, the achievement is huge. Naturally, when you lose the game, there’s a feeling of disappointment, but I think we have to override that with (the fact that) over the 38 games, Newcastle United deserved to qualify for the Champions League.
“It’s a huge moment for the club. Throughout this year (season) there have been so many things, not just mentally but tactically, and the game evolves so quickly. It’s been a brilliant Premier League season. We had a difficult summer, I think there was an overhang of that early in the season.
“We had to fight really hard to overcome that and come back in the manner that we did, we can’t thank the players enough this year. We’ve got a great group who give their all in every game and that’s all we can ask for. Today, I think we did that. We tried to win the game but it wasn’t to be.”
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