The Magpies crashed out of the competition at the last-16 stage after defeat to Barcelona in the Nou Camp
Dejected Newcastle United players at the final whistle in Barcelona
Dejected Newcastle United players at the final whistle in Barcelona(Image: PA)
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Newcastle United's Champions League adventure may be over for this season, but the focus on regaining their place in Europe's elite competition will intensify after what has been an encouraging campaign.
The chastening 7-2 defeat to Barcelona was not the way United deserved to exit at the last-16 stage, but with Premier League form not consistently matching that in the Champions League, Newcastle's chances of being involved next term look slim.
United will go all-out for a place in Europe in their remaining eight league matches, and have shown in recent weeks that they can get the necessary points to move into the top seven.
However, they look unlikely to receive another Champions League windfall - which has seen them land in the region of €63m from UEFA this term.
The Magpies banked a healthy total for reaching the last 16, something which could go a long way to boosting their transfer funds for the coming summer.
Each side who qualified for the group stage received €16.62m, with a further €2.1m per win in the league stage of the competition. Newcastle's four wins landed them €8.4, plus another €1.4m for the two draws against Bayer Leverkusen and PSG.
Finishing 11th in the final table earned United €6.875m, plus another €1m for making the play-off stage.
The two-legged win over Qarabag ensured an €11m extra for making the last 16, but of course that's where it comes to an end.
Newcastle will also collect around €16m as part of the UEFA value pillar payments, based on the standing of the Premier League and United's UEFA rankings.
That takes the total to an estmated €63.295m, which works out in region of £55m.
Finishing fifth in the Premier League is again likely to earn a Champions League spot, with Newcastle currently seven points behind Liverpool, who occupy that spot.
Eddie Howe's side have eight more league games to play, starting with Sunderland on Sunday, but know they only have Arsenal to face from the current top eight.
A top seven finish will bring European football, with sixth earning a place in the Europa League, where the prize money is higher than that of the Europa Conference League.
With 24 more points up for grabs, no one at St James' Park is ruling anything out at this stage, but they cannot afford any more slip-ups before the season is out.
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