Newcastle United are in dreamland after qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Newcastle United have a 33 per cent chance of drawing Real Madrid in the Champions League next season.
An unprecedented situation has meant that, for the first time ever, six English clubs have qualified for Europe’s flagship football competition. Changes to UEFA’s format opened up the possibility of five Premier League teams qualifying via the coefficient rankings - a system that judges how well each nation performs in any given season.
That allowed England to be awarded a fifth Champions League spot - hence Newcastle reached the promised land despite finishing outside the top five. However, a further spanner was thrown in the works when Tottenham Hotspur won the Europa League.
This also grants Champions League qualification and, although they came 17th in the Premier League, Spurs are also preparing to battle against Europe’s big boys. For context, 30 per cent of top-flight clubs will play in the Champions League in 2025-26.
An unprecedented Champions League situation
Six sides from the same nation has never happened before and gives UEFA a headache going into August’s draw. Clubs across the competition are given a coefficient based on their recent history in European football.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City are in Pot 1, with Arsenal in Pot 2 and Tottenham Pot 3. Newcastle are in the Champions League minnows, placed in Pot 4 with the lowest score from all 36 clubs.
Real Madrid the dream draw?
Toon fans could be forgiven for wanting to avoid Borussia Dortmund or PSG. Newcastle were placed in a group of death with both clubs two years ago - time to move on to pastures new?
The Magpies have also faced Barcelona and Inter Milan in the Champions League, albeit two decades ago. This leaves Champions League titans Madrid and Bayern remaining - two behemoths that have never crossed swords with Newcastle.
As the competition’s most successful club, many have named Los Blancos - preferably away - as the fairytale draw. This would not be the best pick as far as trying to progress is concerned but Newcastle will also compete against a duo of clubs from Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4.
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Champions League can help Newcastle United attract
Eddie Howe believes Champions League football is a tool the club can use to attract star players. He said at the weekend: “The power of the Champions League and the pull of the Champions League is huge and we can’t get away from that, the excitement that this will bring for the people here.
“And of course it’s a selling point for us now, it’s an opportunity for us to sell that dream to future players that might be considering coming to us. We’ve got to get the financials right, we’ve got to get every other aspect of trying to sign players here right, and hopefully we can do that.”
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