Newcastle United’s chances of advancing to the knock-out stages of the Champions League just skyrocketed.
This morning (January 30), UEFA held the draw for the play-offs of the European tournament.
It’s the second year of the new Champions League format, which sees the top eight teams from the group stage automatically qualify, while the ninth through 24th teams compete in play-offs for the remaining places in the last 16.
UEFA has revealed Newcastle United’s next Champions League opponents.placeholder image
UEFA has revealed Newcastle United’s next Champions League opponents. | AFP via Getty Images
For these play-offs, clubs are paired based on where they finished in the group stage, and will be drawn against another pair of teams. As an example, Juventus and Atletico Madrid finished 13th and 14th, and were paired up against Club Brugge and Galatasaray, who finished 19th and 20th.
Newcastle United were paired with Paris Saint-Germain, allowing them to dodge the reigning champions in the play-offs. They were paired with the 21st and 22nd-placed teams from the groups.
For the Magpies, this format has thrown them the ultimate lifeline, being drawn against Qarabag for a place in the knock-outs. The Azerbaijani side picked up some plucky results in the group stage, drawing 2-2 with Chelsea and beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2.
But they are generally considered to be the weakest team in the play-offs, being thrashed 6-0 by Liverpool earlier this week.
Should Newcastle advance to the knock-outs, their pathway means they will play either Chelsea or Barcelona in the last 16.
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