Barcelona vs Newcastle: Champions League preview, team news & prediction
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A late penalty from Lamine Yamal rescued Barcelona in stoppage time at St James' Park, cancelling out Harvey Barnes' 86th-minute opener.
Whilst the Catalans escaped defeat, head coach Hansi Flick admitted his side must improve significantly to progress.
Key takeaways
- Barcelona unbeaten at home and strong in two-legged ties after 1-1 away draw.
- Newcastle in confident form but weaker historically in Spain.
- Expect goals from both sides given recent defensive records.
Quick overview
Barcelona return home as favourites, backed by formidable European pedigree and strong home form.They have lost just two of their last 37 home matches against English opposition in UEFA competition and boast an excellent record when drawing the first leg away.
However, defensive concerns remain. Barcelona have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 12 Champions League matches, leaving the door open for a dangerous Newcastle attack.
Newcastle, meanwhile, arrive full of belief. Eddie Howe's side earned a crucial 1-0 win at Chelsea, showing defensive resilience after a long run without a clean sheet.
Their away form has also improved, with four wins in their last five on the road.
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Barcelona
Barcelona are without several key players:- Jules Koundé (hamstring)
- Frenkie de Jong (hamstring)
- Alejandro Balde (hamstring)
- Andreas Christensen (knee)
Raphinha is in red-hot form after a hat-trick against Sevilla, whilst Marcus Rashford is pushing for a start after previous success against Newcastle.
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Newcastle are also dealing with injuries:- Bruno Guimarães (hamstring)
- Fabian Schär (ankle)
- Lewis Miley (thigh)
- Emil Krafth (knee)
Predicted line-ups
Barcelona (4-2-3-1):GarcÃa; Cancelo, Araújo, CubarsÃ, MartÃn; Bernal, Pedri; Yamal, FermÃn, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Newcastle (4-3-3):
Ramsdale; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes
Tactical battle
Expect Barcelona to control possession and probe down the flanks, relying on quick combinations and set-piece quality.Newcastle will look to stay compact, invite pressure and hit on the break by exploiting space behind a high defensive line.
The right flank battle (Yamal v Newcastle full-back) will be decisive.
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This tie remains finely balanced, but Barcelona's home advantage and attacking firepower should prove decisive.Newcastle have shown they can compete, but their defensive vulnerabilities against elite opposition could be exposed.
Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Newcastle (Barcelona to progress on aggregate)
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