Newcastle United welcome Barcelona back to St James’ Park hoping to spring a famous upset in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

The Magpies kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 home defeat by Barcelona in a pulsating encounter settled by a stunning Marcus Rashford brace.

Since then they have lost just once in the competition, a 2-1 reverse at Marseille, and have won all four of their subsequent Champions League fixtures at St James’ Park.

A 3-1 defeat in the FA Cup fifth round by Manchester City, in which they were thorougly outplayed by Pep Guardiola’s side after taking the lead through a Harvey Barnes strike, has left the Champions League as Newcastle’s only chance of silverware.

Those hopes are viewed as slim, and they will be clear underdogs to progress against Barcelona and set up a quarter-final tie with either Atletico Madrid or Tottenham.

Hansi Flick’s men have scored 11 goals in their last four games. Barca prevailed in all of them, though a 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid was not enough to secure progression from the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.

Barca’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal missed the league phase game with Newcastle due to a groin injury, but he heads into this fixture in fine form.

Having scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 LaLiga win over Villarreal last month, Yamal was the difference-maker again in a 1-0 victory at Athletic Club, his wondrous strike flying in off the post after sensational midfield play from Pedri.

Yamal’s goal was his 19th this season, meaning he has already surpassed his tally of 18 from the previous campaign, which saw the Blaugrana win a LaLiga and Copa del Rey double and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.

It will likely require a mammoth effort from Newcastle to keep Barcelona’s plethora of attacking talents at bay, though Newcastle will be confident in their own abilities going forward.

No team has scored more than the 26 goals Newcastle have netted this season in the Champions League, that tally putting them level with Paris Saint-Germain. Anthony Gordon has accounted for 10 of those, with Kylian Mbappe (13) the sole player to score more.

And, despite a quick turnaround from the weekend, defender Kieran Trippier is embracing the challenge the Magpies have in front of them.

“This is where the club wants to be, where the club needs to be for the supporters,” Trippier told newcastleunited.com after the cup exit to City.

“Of course, they’re going to be disappointed with the result today, but the lads, physically, we gave everything. It was a big shift against Man United [in a 2-1 win with 10 men] midweek, but again, no excuses.

“Now we just have to refresh, recover well and again, a massive game against Barcelona on Tuesday. I’m sure the supporters will be up for that.”

Team news for Newcastle v Barcelona

Newcastle remain without captain Bruno Guimaraes as he recovers from a hamstring injury, while Lewis Miley is not expected to return from a muscle issue that has kept him out since the league phase finale against PSG until the return leg at Camp Nou. Defender Fabian Schar (ankle) is unlikely to return until April.

The key question for Newcastle surrounds whether Tino Livramento will be fit enough to start at right-back having played a cameo role against City upon returning from a hamstring problem. If not, Trippier will likely start. Jacob Ramsey should return in midfield after missing the City game through suspension.

Barca are set to again be without full-backs Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde. Frenkie de Jong is out with a hamstring issue, while Gavi remains sidelined with a long-term knee problem.