The Champions League has started for Newcastle United.
It’s a shame we didn’t get a point at home against Barcelona.
That was followed by a comprehensive 4-0 win over Union SG.
This is only the second season of the new 36 Swiss League format of the Champions League, with all clubs playing eight different opponents, four at home and four away.
To some extent it seems to make things less predictable than the old four team groups, which involved playing three clubs both home and away. Those groups often decided very quickly, with the top two clubs invariably overwhelming the ‘lesser’ two, so that after three of the six group matches there was little doubt as to which two clubs would progress.
This is how the 2025/26 Champions League standings currently look as of Monday morning (October 13, 2025):
As you can see, Newcastle United are currently 11th in the Champions League, one point short of an automatic qualification spot in the top eight.
It could be fair to say that not much can be deduced from how the table looks this early, especially from a NUFC perspective.
But in a few weeks it will suddenly be half-way and four of the eight competition rounds have been played.
How it has worked out for Newcastle United, the way the games have fallen, is that Eddie Howe and his players have been given a huge opportunity up front.
Newcastle with three of the first four games at home, plus three of the four very winnable games.
A point (or more…) would have been a huge bonus against Barcelona, BUT the next three games gave United a serious chance of nine points on the board at half-time.
Here are the remaining six Newcastle United Champions League matches:
Tuesday October 21: Newcastle United vs Benfica (kick-off 8pm BST)
Wednesday November 5: Newcastle United vs Athletic Club Bilbao (kick-off 8pm BST)
Tuesday November 25: Olympique Marseille vs Newcastle United (kick-off 8pm BST)
Wednesday December 10: Bayer Leverkusen vs Newcastle United (kick-off 8pm BST)
Wednesday January 21: Newcastle United vs PSV Eindhoven (kick-off 8pm BST
Wednesday January 28: Paris Saint-Germain vs Newcastle United (kick-off 8pm BST)
I think these home games of Benfica and Bilbao are seriously good opportunities for Newcastle United.
Benfica lost 3–2 at home in a shock defeat to Qarabag and immediately sacked their manager. After appointing Mourinho, they then went to Chelsea and looked poor as they lost 1-0 and offered minimal threat.
While Bilbao lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal and were then beaten away 4-1 by Borussia Dortmund.
If Newcastle United play at the level they generally achieved against Barcelona and Union SG. There is no reason why the next two Champions League home games in quick succession won’t earn Newcastle United another six points.
Remember, the top eight will automatically progress to the last 16 knockout stages. While those finishing 9th to 24th will enter two-legged play-offs to decide the remaining eight that will form the last 16.
This is what happened last season in the Swiss League stage of the 2024/25 Champions League, how the rankings ended:
As you can see, 12 points guaranteed 21st place or higher for the team.
If Newcastle United can beat Benfica and Bilbao at home, they will need just one win from their last four games to secure at least 12 points and almost certainly the play-offs.
While if Newcastle United are on nine points after four games, it is highly likely that NUFC would finish in the top eight after a pair of wins and a draw from the last four games, based on last season when the clubs finishing sixth to eight all had 16 points.
With nine points out of a possible twelve, Eddie Howe’s team could well attack the away games against Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen, but also the home game against PSV.
Even in the last game at PSG, Newcastle were robbed of a win there two seasons ago by that shocking penalty decision. This time there would be a good chance that PSG (already six points from two games) had already secured a place in the top eight before they faced NUFC, more than possible they would be playing against a weakened team.
Exciting times at Newcastle United and no reason why they can’t advance to the knockout stages of the last 16 of the Champions League this time, which they were so unfortunate to miss two seasons ago.
#Champions #League #chance #Newcastle #United