Newcastle United holds a commanding 6-1 lead from the first leg as they host Qarabag FK in the Champions League play-off second leg at St James' Park. The Magpies aim to secure progression to the last 16 for the first time while managing a busy schedule. Manager Eddie Howe emphasizes maintaining momentum despite the opportunity for squad rotation.
Newcastle United will host Qarabag FK on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 8pm UK time for the return leg of their Champions League play-off tie. The first leg in Baku ended with a 6-1 victory for Newcastle, highlighted by Anthony Gordon's four goals in the first half. This result positions the Premier League side strongly to advance, potentially facing Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16.
Eddie Howe, Newcastle's manager, remains cautious despite the lead. Following a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, Howe noted the team's recent form, including wins over Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Qarabag, contrasting with a prior 3-2 home loss to Brentford. "The league table isn’t what we wanted it to be," Howe said in his post-match press conference. "We are heading in the right direction, that is the most important thing... We are trying to win every game, not trying to overthink games. We don’t want to lose momentum."
Team news offers optimism for returns. Yoane Wissa, sidelined for the last two games with a knock, and Sven Botman, out for three matches due to a back issue, have trained and could feature. Howe stated, "We hope they’ll be involved... fingers crossed they will be." However, Malick Thiaw is suspended, while Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schar, Tino Livramento, and Lewis Miley remain unavailable due to injuries. For Qarabag, defender Bahlul Mustafazada is out with an adductor injury sustained in the first leg.
Predicted lineups vary slightly across reports, but Newcastle may rotate with players like Aaron Ramsdale in goal, Kieran Trippier at right-back, and forwards including Wissa and William Osula. Qarabag, rested after a postponed league match, fields Maksym Kochalski in goal and attackers like Juninho Montiel and Camilo Duran.
Stats underscore Newcastle's dominance: They have scored in their last 11 Champions League matches, totaling 25 goals. Qarabag has conceded 27 goals in nine UCL games this season and holds a poor record against English sides, losing all five prior away matches 1-19 aggregate. No team has overturned a five-goal first-leg deficit in major European knockouts. Analysts predict a comfortable Newcastle win to seal progression.
