Eddie Howe Urges Newcastle to Rise to Barcelona Challenge

Eddie Howe

Newcastle United face Barcelona in the Champions League last 16. Can Eddie Howe's side replicate their strong defensive display and shock the La Liga leaders?

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe calls on his players to step up against Barcelona at Camp Nou...

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is urging his players to step up against Barcelona at Camp Nou. “We can't shrink from this,” Howe said, emphasizing the need for his team to grow under pressure. They showed great spirit in the first leg, but now it's time to take it to the next level.

Rise to the Occasion, Says Howe

Howe's side put in a strong performance at home, but a late Barcelona penalty denied them a win. 

"I don't think they will (be overawed), we've got an experienced group, we've got many players who have played in so many big games now we've become accustomed to it," Howe said.

“You almost want that size of the game to lift the players and to make us grow - certainly we can't shrink - but with many, many internationals within the squad, I don't see that as an issue.

“It's just making sure from my side that we get the plan right; they've got a lot of dangerous players that we need to deal with.”

Howe's trying to keep the Magpies' spirits up. Despite a tough season, he's optimistic about their current form. 

“(The players) are the happiest they have been throughout the season, it's been one of a lot of change... early season we struggled to find our rhythm, our relationships in the team were new,” continued Howe.

“Their confidence was affected slightly. We worked really hard to try to bring some stability to the team.

“In the last few weeks, we've returned to a really good flow. It's been a much better feel, better individual performances in return, better collective performances.”

Building on Solid Foundations

Newcastle's 1-0 win over Chelsea showed their defensive strength, and Howe wants to see more of that against Barcelona. “We showed against Chelsea that we're capable of defending well,” he said, pointing to Raphinha and Yamal as threats to be neutralized.

Howe's team will need to be at their best to handle Barcelona's attacking firepower. 

“You have to be optimistic, and you have to be positive, and that's why the Chelsea result and performance was so important,” explained Howe.

“We proved to ourselves that we can defend our goal really well... I think we're as good a place as we've been at any stage this season, both on and off the pitch.

“We had to be in this position to give ourselves the best chance, and now we're just putting it over the line.”

Eddie Howe on the mood in the camp:

"The players are probably as confident as they have been at any stage this season. I think our recent performances have been really strong.

The individuals in our team are performing at a really high level so hopefully we're peaking at the… pic.twitter.com/IXjO1fLjFh

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 17, 2026

Newcastle's Positive Mindset

Despite Barcelona's strong form, Newcastle's Kieran Trippier is feeling upbeat about their chances. “We're really confident,” he said, pointing to their recent win over Chelsea as a boost. The Magpies are looking to build on that momentum.

Eddie Howe on preparations for tomorrow:

"It's another game. The process you go through before each game is the same regardless of who you're playing, regardless of the competition. We try to treat every game as if it's a Champions League final. We'll do the work in the same… pic.twitter.com/G5NpD7cVMS

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) March 17, 2026

“Yeah, we feel really confident, (although) I think we've had a mixed season,” Trippier told reporters.

“There's a really good feeling around the place, so we come here calm and relaxed, looking forward to the game tomorrow, it's a big opportunity, and we know the rewards are going to be there if we put in a good performance.”

Trippier's team will need all their confidence to take on Barcelona's firepower. Can they cause an upset at Camp Nou?

Howe's pumped for Camp Nou, calling it “probably” the biggest game of his career. Kieran Trippier's backing him up, defending his coach against recent criticism. “He's done a great job, we've seen that,” Trippier said. Solidarity from the players.