Barcelona prepares to welcome Newcastle United to Camp Nou on Wednesday evening at 18:45 (CEST), aiming to extend their impressive 11-game home winning streak this season. Following a 1-1 draw in the initial leg, the Blaugrana understand they must deliver a superior performance to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Barcelona continues to contend with a significant injury list, featuring Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde, Frenkie de Jong, and Andreas Christensen. Although Gavi and Eric Garcia have rejoined the squad, Gavi is unlikely to feature prominently after an eight-month recovery. Similarly, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side faces absences from Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley, Fabian Schar, and Emil Krafth. However, Anthony Gordon, who was a substitute in the first leg, is nearing full match fitness.
Hansi Flick: ‘I expect a different scenario from the first leg. It will be a tough match because it’s a physical team with an aggressive attitude.’
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— barcacentre (@barcacentre) March 17, 2026
Manager Hansi Flick expressed his expectations: “I anticipate a different scenario compared to the first leg. It promises to be a challenging match against a physically robust team known for its aggressive approach.”
Tactical Adjustments from the First Leg
According to Sport, Barcelona’s primary lineup adjustment will likely see Eric Garcia step in for Ronald Araujo at right-back. While young Xavi Espart featured against Sevilla over the weekend, Garcia is now deemed match-ready. Mundo Deportivo also forecasts another alteration: Ferran Torres could replace Robert Lewandowski, given the Polish veteran’s start against Sevilla and his struggles in the initial Champions League encounter.
#Barca host #NUFC this evening, hoping to maintain their perfect record at Camp Nou this evening, and progress to the #ChampionsLeague.
Sport believe that the addition of Eric Garcia will be the only change from the first leg for Hansi Flick. pic.twitter.com/H7y0DRZ7Vw
— Football España (@footballespana_) March 18, 2026
Newcastle United’s Anticipated Single Change
Manager Eddie Howe is also projected to make just a single change to his Newcastle side, with Anthony Gordon anticipated to lead the attack in place of Will Osula. In their two prior encounters at St. James’ Park this season – a 2-1 Barcelona victory and last week’s 1-1 draw – Gordon demonstrated his impact, scoring once and being instrumental in key offensive plays.
Suspension Risks for Both Sides
Both coaching staffs face an additional concern: a total of eight players are currently at risk of suspension. For Barcelona, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Gerard Martin, and Marc Casado would be sidelined for the quarter-final first leg if they receive a yellow card in this match, with three of these players expected to be in the starting eleven. Newcastle finds itself in a similar predicament, as Dan Burn, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, and Joe Willock are all just one booking away from a suspension.
