Newcastle United have successfully navigated their Champions League campaign, emerging as the competition’s top scorers with 26 goals while securing a place in the knockout stage proper. Eddie Howe’s side have won six games in a single Champions League campaign for the first time in their history, marking a remarkable turnaround following recent domestic struggles.
The achievement comes just weeks after Howe admitted he was not performing his job “well enough” following a 3-2 defeat against Brentford in the Premier League. Supporters at St James’ Park booed the team off the pitch earlier this month, prompting both soul-searching from the manager and a determined response from his players who vowed to fight for their coach.
Impressive Champions League Form Continues
Since the Brentford setback, Newcastle have won four of their last five games across all competitions. Their Champions League victories have come against Qarabag, Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, Athletic Club, and Union Saint-Gilloise, with the most recent being a 3-2 second-leg win on Tuesday night.
However, the wins were far from guaranteed against competitive opposition. Qarabag, for instance, had previously drawn against Chelsea and defeated teams including Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Copenhagen before Newcastle hammered the Azerbaijan Premier League champions, according to match reports.
Elite European Competition
Newcastle have demonstrated their ability to compete with Europe’s finest clubs throughout the tournament. The team drew 1-1 against holders Paris St-Germain in the French capital last month and suffered only a narrow 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in their opening fixture of the competition.
Additionally, while some observers might question whether Premier League clubs should naturally excel in European competition given the revenue gap between England’s top flight and continental leagues, Newcastle’s performances have been particularly impressive. Even struggling Tottenham Hotspur, who are hovering above the relegation zone domestically, managed to finish in the top eight of the league phase.
Newcastle Players Confident Ahead of Knockout Stage
Defender Dan Burn believes Newcastle can “compete with anybody” when performing at their best. In his programme notes, he highlighted the Paris St-Germain performance as evidence of the team’s quality at this level of competition.
Meanwhile, Burn suggested that facing bigger, better teams in the Champions League brings out the best in Newcastle’s squad. The defender indicated that the players elevate their game when competing at this stage of European football, which has been evident in their scoring record and overall results.
In contrast to their recent domestic difficulties, Newcastle’s European campaign has provided a welcome boost. The team’s ability to score freely in the Champions League while maintaining defensive resilience against elite opposition has showcased their potential on the continental stage.
Newcastle will now await the knockout stage draw to discover their next opponents in the competition. The team’s impressive goal-scoring record and victories over quality opposition suggest they could pose a threat to any potential challenger, though the identity of their next opponent and the scheduling remain to be confirmed by UEFA.
