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Newcastle United defender left out of Champions League squad as new face drafted in.
The Magpies finished 12th in the Champions League table to set up a two-legged play-off tie against Azerbaijan champions Qarabag.
Eddie Howe’s side play the first leg in Baku tomorrow night before the second leg takes place at St James’ Park next Tuesday.
The winner will advance into the last 16 of the competition, where they will face either Barcelona or Chelsea.
UEFA Champions League squad rules
Ahead of the Champions League group phase, Newcastle were required to submit a squad list to UEFA.
UEFA rules allow clubs to submit a ‘List A’ of up to 25 players, if they include four ‘club-trained’ players. In this instance, however, the Magpies could only name a squad of 21 due to the lack of club-trained players.
A club-trained player is any player registered with their current club for at least three full seasons between the ages of 15 and 21, regardless of nationality.
Newcastle’s squad can be supplemented by their ‘List B’, which features players born on or after January 1, 2004 that have played for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years.
Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley are eligible through that criteria, while the likes of Max Thompson, Alex Murphy, Sean Neave, Leo Shahar and Sam Alabi have also featured on the bench.
Newcastle United make change to Champions League squad for knockout stage
For the knockout stages of the Champions League, Newcastle can make a maximum of three changes to the squad, and NewcastleWorld understands Howe has opted to bring 39-year-old John Ruddy onto ‘List A’ in place of the injured Emil Krafth.
Krafth hasn’t played since November due to a knee injury and still has no definitive return date.
Ruddy’s inclusion takes the number of senior goalkeepers in the squad to three after Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale. For much of the group phase, Thompson acted as third choice but in January, he joined Scottish Championship side Ayr United on loan for the rest of the campaign.
Thompson missed the final group game away to Paris Saint-Germain, which saw 19-year-old Aidan Harris, fresh from returning from his successful loan spell at Northern Irish outfit Coleraine, named on the bench.
Ruddy was left out of the club’s Champions League squad back in August alongside Jamaal Lascelles and Harrison Ashby, both of whom joined Leicester City and Bradford City, respectively, in January. Mark Gillespie continues to be left out.
Newcastle United Champions League ‘List A’ for knockout stages
Goalkeepers: Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale, John Ruddy.
Defenders: Kieran Trippier, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Malick Thiaw, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman
Midfielders: Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Jacob Ramsey, Joe Willock.
Forwards: Yoane Wissa, Nick Woltemade, William Osula, Jacob Murphy, Anthony Elanga, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon.
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