Expectations for Yamal

The Champions League returns with the clash between Newcastle and Barcelona at 3 AM on March 11th, which will be the highlight of the first leg of the round of 16.

The clash between these two ambitious teams at St James' Park will mark a historic turning point for the English side and signify a new step forward for the Spanish giant.

More than four years after being taken over by Arab owners, Newcastle is still on its journey to establish itself in Europe. This season, Eddie Howe's team is making its first appearance in the Champions League knockout stage after narrowly progressing through the play-off rounds.

Barcelona (center) dominated hosts Newcastle in their group stage encounter (Photo: BARCELONAFC)

Newcastle's 9-3 aggregate victory over Qarabag in the play-offs showed their immense determination. However, since then, Newcastle's form has been quite inconsistent. They lost 2-3 at home to Everton in the Premier League, then beat Manchester United 2-1 despite being down to 10 men against a highly-rated opponent. Most recently, Newcastle were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City. Newcastle will have to rely on the home advantage at St. James' Park, a place that always provides a passionate atmosphere and unwavering support, to face Barcelona on equal terms.

On the other side of the battlefield, Barcelona arrived in England with many objectives. Hansi Flick's team secured direct qualification to the Round of 16 with a fiery attacking style, creating one of the most exciting group stage campaigns in their European Cup history. Barcelona scored a total of 22 goals in 8 group stage matches, but conceding 14 goals further exposed a fatal weakness in their defense that opponents often exploit.

Having beaten Newcastle 2-1 at St. James' Park in the group stage back in September thanks to a brace from Marcus Rashford, Barcelona hopes to repeat that victory, as their attacking players are in excellent form. Not only Lamine Yamal, but also names like Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres, and Marcus Rashford are expected to shine at St. James' Park.

Matches on the morning of March 11th:

0:45: Galatasaray - Liverpool;

3 hours: Atalanta - Bayern Munich; Atletico Madrid - Tottenham; Newcastle - Barcelona

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ky-vong-vao-yamal-196260309213328839.htm