Newcastle United has qualified for the Champions League tournament after 20 years with a goalless draw against Leicester. However, their success could be short-lived as they may end up in pot 4, which will make their journey challenging.
Pot 1 comprises league winners, and there are no easy teams to draw from. Newcastle cannot face Manchester City, but they could potentially face Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, or Napoli as fierce opponents.
Pot 2 is no better, with Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, and Bayern Munich probable tough competition. Bayern Munich is unlikely to win the Bundesliga with Dortmund just needing to win the league on the final day.
Teams in Pot 3, like Shakhtar Donetsk, Lazio, and RB Salzburg, are also difficult to play against.
Newcastle could potentially face a daunting challenge if they draw Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Shakhtar Donetsk, as this would be the hardest draw of all based on co-efficient rankings alone.
A difficult draw will not distract from the exhilaration that Newcastle fans will experience as they eagerly anticipate playing the best teams in Europe. Additionally, other teams will find it challenging to play at St James’ Park, known for its intimidating atmosphere.
Newcastle may need to splurge money over the summer season to create a competitive squad capable of competing on multiple fronts. Since they are short on central midfielders and may need defensive backups, reinforcements might be necessary.
After the game, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe could barely conceal his pride and praised the fans for their support throughout the season. “It’s a big relief,” he told Sky Sports. “An amazing night to see the supporters and just the general reaction to what we’ve achieved is incredible. And it has been a great evening for us.”
The draw for the 2023/24 Champions League’s first group stage match will take place on September 19/20, and Newcastle supporters will be waiting anxiously to see the outcome.