Newcastle vs Barcelona: Champions League preview, predictions and bet builder tips

• Ladbrokes previews Newcastle United vs Barcelona in the first-leg of their Champions League last 16 tie

• Barcelona won 2-1 at St. James' Park in the league phase

• We're predicting the same scoreline to happen again

The Champions League knockout phase has truly arrived, with the top eight teams from the league phase joining those who won their playoff games to make up the sixteen teams left in the competition. The last sixteen has thrown up a repeat clash from the league phase, as Newcastle United host Barcelona at St. James' Park for the second time this season. The Catalan side prevailed 2-1 back in September courtesy of a Marcus Rashford brace.

Ladbrokes brings you its odds, betting tips and predictions ahead of what should be a raucous encounter in the North East, with Barca the favourites at odds of 6/5, Newcastle priced at 15/8 and the draw is 14/5.

Match details

• Fixture: Newcastle vs Barcelona

• Competition: Champions League

• Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026

• Kick-off: 20.00 GMT

• Venue: St. James' Park

Newcastle vs Barcelona prediction

Our prediction: Newcastle 1-2 Barcelona

Newcastle vs Barcelona predicted lineups

Newcastle (4-3-3): Ramsdale / Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall / Tonali, Ramsey, Joelinton / Elanga, Gordon, Barnes

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): J. Garcia / E. Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo / Pedri, Casado / Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha / Lewandowski

Barcelona to win

St. James' Park will likely be a cauldron on Tuesday night, as it was when Barcelona visited back in September, but after a fast start the away side settled into the game and their quality on the ball eventually showed, with Rashford scoring a superb brace before Anthony Gordon pulled one back in stoppage time.

Newcastle's fortress has been breached more than they'd like of late, losing four of their last six home games in all competitions, although Barca have been shaky on the road recently, losing two of their previous four away trips in La Liga and also suffering a 4-0 hammering at Atletico Madrid in the Copa Del Rey.

Eddie Howe's side have struggled for consistency all year, encapsulated in this past week. After playing the second half with ten men, Newcastle put in a superb shift against in-form Man United and were rewarded with a stunning last minute winner from Will Osula. They failed to capitalise on that momentum, putting in a lacklustre performance against a rotated Man City team in the FA Cup three days later. The Magpies are 12th in the Premier League, and face a battle to secure any form of European football for next season.

In contrast, Barcelona sit clear at the top of La Liga by four points and have Lamine Yamal back to full health, after he missed the two teams' meeting earlier this season. We think the Blaugrana will have too much for the Toon once again, with the first-leg ending with the same 2-1 scoreline, giving Newcastle a mountain to climb in the second-leg next week.

Both teams to score

Even if their inconsistency has frustrated Newcastle fans, they've certainly been an entertaining watch for the neutral. Both teams have scored in each of Newcastle's last ten games in all competitions, and in the Champions League this season, their matches have averaged 3.6 goals per game. Hansi Flick's free-scoring Barca side, meanwhile, have only failed to find the back of the net twice all season. We think there's a good chance both teams will throw caution to the wind and get on the scoresheet.

Anthony Gordon 1+ shots on target

Anthony Gordon is having a superb debut Champions League campaign and is the second top scorer in the competition with 10 goals, with only Kylian Mbappe scoring more. That has admittedly been boosted by his penalty tally, and his four-goal blitz against Qarabag, but he has undoubtedly risen to the occasion in Europe's top tier.

Gordon has increasingly been deployed as a centre forward, ahead of big money signings Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade, and we think Eddie Howe will lean that way again. He selected Gordon up top first time around against Barca, and he got on the scoresheet in stoppage time. In his last five games, Gordon is averaging 2.81 shots on target per 90, and against Flick's high line, we think he'll get at least one opportunity to test the keeper on Tuesday night.

Joelinton to get booked

Newcastle's enforcer-in-chief Joelinton is back to full fitness after a period on the sidelines, and his off-the-ball work will be crucial here if the Magpies are to contain Barcelona in possession. The Brazilian international has picked up bookings in consecutive games, not wanting to leave out either Manchester side, taking his tally to thirteen for the season. Joelinton also got booked in the previous game against Barcelona, and we're tipping the big man to pick up a card again here. Remarkably, he has never been sent off for Newcastle.

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.