The UEFA Champions League 2025-26 knockout playoff 2nd leg between Newcastle United and Qarabag FK takes place tomorrow morning at St James' Park.
Newcastle, who secured a commanding 6-1 victory in the 1st leg powered by Anthony Gordon's explosive 4-goal haul, have virtually confirmed their place in the Round of 16.
With a 5-goal lead heading into this home 2nd leg, manager Eddie Howe has signaled extensive rotation for this match.
All eyes will be on whether Newcastle can set a new club record for most wins in a single Champions League season (6 wins).
Match Overview
| Category | Details |
| Competition | UEFA Champions League 25/26 Knockout Playoff 2nd Leg |
| Date & Time | Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 20:00 (GMT) |
| Venue | St James' Park (Newcastle, England) |
| 1st Leg Result | Qarabag 1 - 6 Newcastle (Agg. 1-6) |
| Broadcast | SPOTV NOW |
This match will be held at Newcastle's home ground, St James' Park, and with a 5-goal lead already secured from the 1st leg, this is essentially a dead rubber.
However, for Newcastle, this is still a meaningful fixture as they aim to set a new club record for most Champions League wins in a single season.
Team Form
Newcastle United
Newcastle finished the Champions League league phase in 12th place with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses in 8 matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding 7, qualifying for the knockout playoffs.
During the league phase, they hosted Barcelona, Benfica, Athletic Bilbao, and PSV Eindhoven at home, while facing Union Saint-Gilloise, Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, and Paris Saint-Germain away, accumulating 15 points.
In the Premier League, they currently sit in 11th place, with their recent form being somewhat inconsistent.
Notably, on February 22, they suffered a 1-3 defeat to Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby, a disappointing league result.
However, they have shown a completely different side in the Champions League, and the 6-1 demolition of Qarabag away in the 1st leg was one of the most impressive results of this tournament.
Qarabag FK
Azerbaijani giants Qarabag qualified for the knockout playoffs with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses in 8 league phase matches, collecting 10 points.
They put up a respectable fight during the league phase, including a 2-2 draw with Chelsea, though they also suffered a 0-6 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool.
In the Azerbaijan Premier League, they sit in 2nd place with 45 points from 20 matches (14 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses).
They are chasing league leaders Sabah Baku (49 points), but the physical toll of the Champions League campaign appears to be affecting their domestic form.
Having suffered a devastating 6-1 defeat in the 1st leg, overturning a 5-goal deficit in the 2nd leg is virtually an impossible mission.
Newcastle: Malick Thiaw (suspended), Bruno Guimaraes (injured), Emil Krafth (out for season), Fabian Schar (injured), Tino Livramento (injured)
Possible returns: Sven Botman, Yoan Wissa, Lewis Miley
Qarabag: Shahrudin Mahammadaliyev (goalkeeper, injured)
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Competition | Home | Score | Away |
| 2026.02.18 | UCL PO 1st Leg | Qarabag | 1 - 6 | Newcastle |
This playoff 1st leg was the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
The 1st leg took place at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Newcastle delivered a dominant performance, scoring 5 goals in the first half alone.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring within 3 minutes, then added two more goals in the 32nd and 33rd minutes, before completing his fourth in first-half stoppage time to deliver a historic individual display.
Malick Thiaw also got on the scoresheet with his first Champions League goal, while Qarabag managed just a single consolation goal in the second half.
Predicted Lineups
With a 5-goal cushion in hand, manager Eddie Howe is expected to make sweeping changes to his lineup for this 2nd leg.
He has specifically hinted at giving academy graduates the chance to experience the Champions League stage.
Newcastle United (Predicted 4-3-3)
| Position | Player |
| GK | Ramsdale |
| RB | Leo Sherhar |
| CB | Burn |
| CB | Botman |
| LB | Alex Murphy |
| CM | Joelinton |
| CM | Ramsey |
| RW | Elanga |
| AM | Voltemade |
| LW | Barnes |
| ST | Sean Neave |
Qarabag FK (Predicted 4-2-3-1)
| Position | Player |
| GK | Koczalski |
| RB | Silva |
| CB | Mustafazada |
| CB | Medina |
| LB | Jafarguliyev |
| CM | Vicaliu |
| CM | Jankovic |
| RW | Montiel |
| AM | Andrade |
| LW | Zoubir |
| ST | Duran |
Key Players
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)
Gordon, who exploded with 4 goals in the 1st leg to bring his Champions League tally this season to 10, is the standout player of this tie.
He became the first English player to score a hat-trick in a Champions League knockout stage match, and the 18th player in Champions League history to score 4 goals in a single game.
He may be rested in the 2nd leg as part of the rotation, but if he does start, there is every chance he continues his prolific goal-scoring run.
Remarkably, Gordon scored all 4 goals in the first half of the 1st leg, including 2 penalties, delivering an utterly dominant performance.
Joelinton (Newcastle)
With Bruno Guimaraes sidelined through injury, Joelinton's role as the midfield engine has become even more critical, and he is expected to anchor the center of the pitch in this 2nd leg.
He has been controlling the team's tempo with his outstanding work rate and physicality on both ends of the pitch.
In a match where heavy rotation is expected, he will also carry the responsibility of leading the younger players as one of the more experienced heads on the field.
Camilo Duran (Qarabag)
Duran, a striker signed from Portuguese side Portimonense, is Qarabag's key attacking threat leading the line.
Despite his team's heavy defeat in the 1st leg, he will be looking to put on an impressive display at St James' Park with the season's pride on the line.
For Qarabag, this being their final Champions League match of the season could serve as added motivation to showcase individual quality, regardless of the aggregate score.
Match Key Points
1. Newcastle's Rotation Depth
Manager Eddie Howe is expected to make up to 7 changes to his starting lineup.
Academy graduates such as Leo Sherhar, Sean Neave, and Alex Murphy are all in line for their Champions League debuts.
How these youngsters perform on Europe's biggest stage will be the most compelling storyline of this match.
2. Rewriting Club History
Newcastle currently have 5 wins in this season's Champions League campaign.
A victory in this match would set a new club record for most wins in a single Champions League season (6 wins).
Although this is largely a dead rubber, the clear goal of setting a club record could provide extra motivation for the players.
3. Qarabag's Pride at Stake
Overturning the aggregate score is virtually impossible, but for Qarabag, preserving their pride in their final Champions League match of the season is what matters most.
For the sake of raising the profile of Azerbaijani football, they will want to produce a meaningful result on their visit to St James' Park.
Considering that no team in UEFA European competition history has ever overturned a 5-goal or more 1st-leg deficit, Qarabag's realistic objective will be to focus on an honorable result.
What to Watch
Champions League Debuts for Young Talents
The biggest attraction of this match will be the Champions League debuts of Newcastle's academy graduates.
Leo Sherhar, Sean Neave, and Alex Murphy — all personally mentioned by Eddie Howe — will have the chance to make a name for themselves on Europe's grandest stage for the first time.
Their performances could serve as an important indicator of Newcastle's future prospects.
A Celebratory Atmosphere at St James' Park
With a Round of 16 place all but secured, a festive atmosphere is expected at St James' Park.
Newcastle fans are already looking ahead to a potential blockbuster Round of 16 clash against Chelsea or Barcelona, and can afford to simply enjoy this occasion.
Officially sealing qualification for the Round of 16 in front of the home faithful will undoubtedly be an emotional moment.
Botman and Wissa's Return
Monitoring the fitness of Sven Botman and Yoan Wissa as they return from injury is another key storyline.
Botman, in particular, is a cornerstone of Newcastle's defense, and this match presents an ideal opportunity to regain match sharpness ahead of the Round of 16.
Wissa, returning after a 4-match absence, will also be looking to rediscover his scoring touch if given playing time.
Match Prediction
Predicted Score: Newcastle 2 - 0 Qarabag (Agg. 8-1)
Opta's supercomputer predicts a 77.7% chance of a Newcastle victory in the 2nd leg, with a 99.78% probability of aggregate qualification.
Newcastle will make wholesale changes, but the quality of their squad depth should be more than enough to handle Qarabag.
Qarabag, with the writing firmly on the wall, are likely to focus on salvaging some pride rather than mounting an all-out attack.
Newcastle are expected to cruise to a comfortable 2-0 victory, advancing to the Round of 16 with an 8-1 aggregate score.
In the Round of 16, Newcastle could face Chelsea or Barcelona, and that draw is where the real blockbuster action will begin.