Newcastle United had a disaster last time they played Barcelona, Eddie Howe won’t want a repeat

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Newcastle United are set to face Barcelona in the Champions League for the first time since 2003 on Thursday night.

The Magpies have been handed a marquee match to kick off their 2025/26 Champions League campaign, with La Liga giants Barcelona heading to Tyneside.

It has the makings of an incredible night inside St James’ Park, as Toon fans pray for another historic encounter with European royalty.

One of Newcastle United’s best ever wins came against Barcelona in the Champions League. Tino Asprilla’s hat-trick against Barca in 1997 is iconic, but it is the only time that the Magpies have been victorious against the side from Catalonia.

Their last meeting was in March 2003, and it was certainly not one to remember for the Toon Army.

Barcelona broke Newcastle United hearts in their last Champions League clash

Going into the game, Newcastle had a chance of advancing to the quarter-finals of the competition. They knew that a win over Barca would put them through to the knockouts if they bettered Inter Milan’s result against Bayer Leverkusen.

Sir Bobby Robson’s side came out all guns blazing, but could not find a way past Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

By the time the second half arrived, Newcastle collapsed. A defensive howler from Titus Bramble allowed Patrick Kluivert to open the scoring, at a time when Inter Milan were already winning in Germany.

The Magpies were heading out of the Champions League, as Barcelona doubled their lead 15 minutes later. More poor defending from Newcastle allowed Thiago Motta to make it 2-0, calling time on Robson’s European adventure.

That had been Newcastle’s last Champions League game until Eddie Howe’s side drew 0-0 with AC Milan in September 2023.

The Newcastle United starting XI that lost to Barcelona in March 2003: Shay Given; Andy Griffin, Andy O’Brien, Titus Bramble, Olivier Bernard; Nolberto Solano, Jermaine Jenas, Kieran Dyer, Laurent Robert; Craig Bellamy, Alan Shearer.

Different pressure on Newcastle United as Eddie Howe attempts to avoid defensive repeat

22 years later, Barcelona are heading back to St James’ Park.

The situation is very different. While that was the decisive last game of the second group stage, this is the opener for the 36-team league.

The Champions League format has changed a lot, but the size of the task for Newcastle United remains the same.

Eddie Howe will be under no illusions regarding the enormity of this fixture, and will be desperate to ensure his Newcastle side do not endure the same defensive disasters as Robson’s team in 2003.

Fortunately, Newcastle have started the new season relatively well defensively, with Dan Burn and Tino Livramento both in excellent form.