Champions League knockout play-offs: Newcastle face tricky-looking Qarabag trip
Also in action on Wednesday, Inter Milan face Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt; Inter Milan travel to take on Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt; Atletico Madrid visit Club Brugge; Olympiakos host Bayer Leverkusen; second legs will be played on February 24/25
Wednesday 18 February 2026 17:47, UK
Newcastle United embark on a 5,000-mile round trip to face Qarabag in the Champions League knock-out play-offs on Wednesday.
It is the first time Newcastle have reached the knockout rounds in Europe and they are tasked with an epic journey to Azerbaijan for the first leg, before hosting the reverse fixture at St James' Park on February 24 amid a gruelling schedule with 14 games in 45 days.
Qarabag were hammered 6-0 by Liverpool in the last round of the league phase, but did manage a 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea on matchday four.
Eddie Howe's side will face either Chelsea or Barcelona should they make it to the last 16.
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Elsewhere on Wednesday, Serie A leaders Inter Milan travel to take on Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, who beat Manchester City in their penultimate league phase game.
Also in action are Atletico Madrid, who visit Club Brugge, while Olympiakos host Bayer Leverkusen.
The draw for the round of 16 will be made on February 27.
Champions League knockout play-off fixtures
Tuesday February 17 - first legs
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Atalanta
Monaco 2-3 Paris Saint-Germain
Wednesday February 18 - first legs
Qarabag vs Newcastle, 5.45pm
Bodo/Glimt vs Inter Milan, 8pm
Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid, 8pm
Olympiakos vs Bayer Leverkusen, 8pm
Tuesday February 24 - second legs
Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge, 5.45pm
Bayer Leverkusen vs Olympiakos, 8pm
Inter Milan vs Bodo/Glimt, 8pm
Newcastle vs Qarabag, 8pm
Wednesday February 25 - second legs
Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund, 5.45pm
Juventus vs Galatasaray, 8pm
Paris Saint-Germain vs Monaco, 8pm
Real Madrid vs Benfica, 8pm
Who could English teams face in the round of 16?
Arsenal: Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Olympiakos or Leverkusen
Man City: Benfica, Real Madrid, Bodo/Glimt or Inter
Chelsea: Qarabag, Newcastle, Monaco or PSG
Liverpool: Galatasaray, Juventus, Club Brugge or Atletico Madrid
Tottenham: Galatasaray, Juventus, Club Brugge or Atletico Madrid
Newcastle: Barcelona or Chelsea
England set for fifth Champions League spot
One of the benefits of English teams performing so strongly in Europe is that the Premier League is now all but certain to repeat last season's feat of clinching a fifth Champions League spot by finishing in the top two of UEFA's coefficient table.
With five Premier League teams having gone straight into the Champions League last 16, and with all nine Premier League teams in Europe still alive in their respective competitions, England sits comfortably top of the table ahead of Germany.
Newcastle were the beneficiaries last season, clinching their place in this campaign's Champions League with a fifth-placed Premier League finish. Now the door is open for another side to take advantage as English teams continue to perform strongly on the continent.
When are the 2025/26 Champions League knockout stages?
Knockout play-offs: February 17-18 and 24-25, 2026
Round of 16: March 10-11 and 17-18, 2026
Quarter-finals: April 7-8 and 14-15, 2026
Semi-finals: April 28-29 and May 5-6, 2026
Final: Saturday, May 30, 2026
Where is the Champions League final being held in 2026?
The 2025/26 Champions League final will take place in Budapest at the Puskas Arena on Saturday May 30.
