Eddie Howe has urged his gamers to develop into Newcastle legends by emulating the membership’s well-known 1997 Champions League win over Barcelona after they face the Spanish giants within the last-16 first leg.
Newcastle host the La Liga leaders on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) in a probably life-changing second for Howe’s aspect.
Fans nonetheless speak in reverential tones about Faustino Asprilla’s hat-trick and Keith Gillespie’s sensible efficiency within the Magpies’ 3-2 win over Barca within the Champions League group stage 29 years in the past.
Howe, then beginning his enjoying profession at Bournemouth, watched that outstanding match on tv as a teen.
Now Howe and firm have an opportunity to etch their very own names within the annals of Newcastle historical past by defeating Hansi Flick’s star-studded crew.
“Yes I watched the game. I was very focused on my playing career. But you couldn’t not watch that moment. It was one of those legendary games,” Howe informed reporters on Monday (March 9, 2026).
“Of course we want people in future years to be talking about this team. Tino Asprilla gets a hat-trick from those Keith Gillespie deliveries on the right. “I’d need our gamers to be talked about the identical approach in 20 or 30 years.”
Newcastle have made it to the Champions League last 16 for only the second time.
Howe is well aware of the magnitude of the achievement after he arrived at Newcastle in 2021 with the club in disarray.
Together with the financial muscle provided by Newcastle’s Saudi owners, Howe has transformed the club from laughing stock status.
‘A moment for us to grab’
Newcastle won their first trophy in 56 years when they shocked Liverpool in the League Cup final last season.
Beating Barcelona would be an even greater feat for Howe, who urged his players to seize what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“There are solely 16 groups left and we’re one among them. It may be very a lot a chance to seize a second that we could by no means get once more. You do not know what life brings tomorrow, not to mention future seasons,” Howe said.
“We do not need to kick ourselves, we do not need to waste the chance and suppose what ifs.
“So this is a moment for us to grab. In my time here, just over four years, we have worked to get to this point.
“As lengthy as we carry out to our most we have now to just accept the outcome.”
Having labelled the Barca game as the biggest match in Newcastle’s history, Howe said adopting an underdog mentality could help stun the five-time European champions.
“That’s very a lot the mentality we’d like, rising to the event, embracing the dimensions of the sport,” he said. “The underdog function to a level in my time right here has helped us in my time right here, when we have now been in that state of affairs once we felt the chances had been stacked towards us.
“We are going to need to use every psychological tool because there’s no denying we are playing a very good team, an outstandingly well coached team. “All our Champions League video games have been a terrific rehearsal for this second.”
Newcastle have already faced Barca this season, losing 2-1 at home in the group stage thanks to a Marcus Rashford double.
“When you might be enjoying the perfect groups you are taking a variety of that with you going ahead,” Howe said. “We can take lots from the efficiency. Hopefully we are able to study classes from that tie.”
