European nights are returning to St James’ Park, and we now know who the eight teams we’ll be facing in this season’s UEFA Champions League, with four home ties and four away days now confirmed!
At today’s draw in Monaco, we found ourselves in Pot 4, and will be making our maiden appearance in the ‘league phase’ of the competition, which was only introduced last season as PSG went on to beat Inter Milan 5-0 in May’s final.
Here’s the home times and away days we have to look forward to, with Newcastle drawing two sides from pots 1, 2, 3 and 4; one to face at home and the other away:
* Pot 1: Newcastle vs Barcelona
* Pot 2: Newcastle vs Benfica
* Pot 3: Newcastle vs PSV Eindhoven
* Pot 4: Newcastle vs Athletic Bilbao
* Pot 1: PSG vs Newcastle
* Pot 2: Bayer Leverkusen vs Newcastle
* Pot 3: Marseille vs Newcastle
* Pot 4: Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle
On paper, the draw certainly looks a lot more difficult than the 2023/24 campaign, where we were placed in the Group of Death alongside PSG, eventual runners up Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan, but there are still several standout ties.
PSG and Barcelona are far and away the best two club sides on the continent, and we could very well have some more European classic victories on the horizon against both sides.
There’s also tough tests ahead against Erik ten Hag’s Bayer Leverkusen, Benfica (in a rematch from the 2013 Europa League, and another visit to France against an always formidable Marseille side.
Even our two pot four sides are formidable opponents: USG are a sister club of Brighton and won the Belgian league last season, whilst Athletic Bilbao boast some strong European pedigree of their own.
But thankfully, no absurdly long trips to Eastern Europe and Kazakhstan: we showed in 2023 that we can hang with the very best, now is the time to prove it. Howay The Lads.
* Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
* Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025
* Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025
* Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025
* Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025
* Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025
* Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026
* Matchday 8: 28 January 2026