Newcastle and Leverkusen take the lead in the final sixteen race

Newcastle United have secured their place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 after defeating Qarabağ FK 3-2 at home on Tuesday evening, completing a 9-3 aggregate victory over the Azerbaijani side. The win at St James’ Park marked a historic milestone for Newcastle, as it is the first time in the club’s history that they have progressed to the knockout stages of Europe’s premier competition.

After an emphatic 6-1 victory in the first leg in Baku last week, Newcastle entered the return leg with a significant advantage. The match got off to a blistering start, with Sandro Tonali opening the scoring in the fourth minute, followed by Joelinton doubling the lead just two minutes later, putting Newcastle 2-0 ahead inside eight minutes. Despite the early onslaught, the first-half ended with fewer goals than expected, mirroring a more controlled approach by both teams.

In the second half, Qarabağ showed resilience, with Camilo Duran pulling one back in the 51st minute. However, Newcastle responded immediately: one minute later, Sven Botman headed in a corner from Kieran Trippier, marking his first-ever Champions League goal and restoring a two-goal cushion. Qarabağ managed to reduce the deficit again to 3-2 late in the match through Elvin Jafarguliyev, following a handball incident, despite goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale saving a penalty taken by Marko Janković.

After the match, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe reflected: “After going 2-0 up, we relaxed a bit. Overall, the two-leg result is excellent, but today’s win felt somewhat flat.” Newcastle will discover their next opponent in Friday’s draw, with potential clashes against heavyweights like Barcelona or Chelsea awaiting them.

Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen also booked their place in the Round of 16, securing a goalless draw against Olympiacos in Greece on Tuesday. Following a 2-0 first-leg win in Germany, the result ensured the German side progressed comfortably.

Leverkusen had opportunities to extend their advantage, notably when Álex Grimaldo hit the crossbar, but were ultimately held to a 0-0 draw. Goalkeeper Yanīs Blaswich commented: “We have achieved our objective. Strong teams like Bayern Munich or Arsenal lie ahead.” Despite late pressure from Olympiacos, Leverkusen maintained their composure to seal progression.

Champions League Round of 16 Qualifiers: Summary

Both Newcastle and Leverkusen now look forward to challenging fixtures in the Round of 16, where European giants will test their credentials on the continental stage.