Newcastle vs Barcelona: Predictions , Preview, Lineups, H2h for September 19, 2025

This Thursday, St. James’ Park in Newcastle will host a match in the first round of the 2025/26 Champions League, where Newcastle will face Barcelona. Here’s a look at what to expect from this game.

Match Preview

This will be Newcastle’s return to the Champions League after a long absence. In the 2023/24 season, they secured only one win and ended up at the bottom of their group, although they had a solid defensive performance.

Currently, Newcastle is 10th in the Premier League and is trying to distance itself from the relegation zone. They recently achieved their first league win of the season, defeating Wolverhampton 1-0 at home. With limited experience and some squad challenges, producing consistent results in Europe could be difficult.

Barcelona enters this Champions League season as one of the favorites. Last season, they reached the semifinals and had the highest-scoring attack, netting 28 goals. However, their defense has shown weaknesses, conceding two or more goals in seven of their last eight away matches.

Despite these defensive issues, the attacking trio of Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha has been effective. It’s important to note that forward Lamine Yamal is currently unavailable. Over the weekend, Barcelona scored six goals against Valencia at home, resting Raphinha and Lewandowski, who played no more than one half.

Probable Lineups

• Newcastle: Pope, Schär, Livramento, Trippier, Burn, Botman, Joelinton, Guimarães, Barnes, Tonali, Woltemade
• Barcelona: Garcia, Kounde, Cubarsí, Eric Garcia, Casado, Olmo, Pedri, Fermín López, Ferran Torres, Lewandowski, Raphinha

Match Facts and Head-to-Head

• Newcastle has not scored more than once in any of their last six Champions League matches.
• Barcelona has scored in 10 consecutive away games in the Champions League.
• In each of Barcelona’s last five Champions League matches, at least four goals have been scored.

Prediction

Newcastle’s inconsistency and current form pose challenges, while Barcelona’s strong attack and experience give them an edge. Even with defensive vulnerabilities, Barcelona is likely to earn points, and the match is expected to feature several goals. A suitable bet is “Barcelona not to lose and over 1.5 goals” at odds of 1.65.