Barca eye spot in quarter-finals; Kompany warns of complacency

Banking on home conditions, Spanish giants Barcelona will hope to get the better of English side Newcastle United at Camp Nou on Wednesday, aiming to seal their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2025-26.

Barcelona escaped with a 1-1 draw in Newcastle a week ago, thanks to Lamine Yamal's 95th-minute penalty after an underwhelming display at St. James' Park, leaving Hansi Flick's side as the clear favourite for the return leg.

Flick rested Yamal and Fermin Lopez for Sunday's 5-2 home win over Sevilla, and the comfortable nature of that victory allowed him to withdraw other key players such as Pedri, Joao Cancelo, and Marc Bernal in the second half to give them much-needed rest, reports Xinhua.

The Barcelona coach admitted on Sunday that Pedri needs careful management to avoid a relapse of the muscle problems he has suffered this season, although with Frenkie de Jong still sidelined, the Spain international is expected to start Wednesday night.

With fullbacks Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde also unavailable, Cancelo is set to start against Newcastle, while Flick must decide whether to use Eric Garcia at right back or keep faith with teenager Xabi Espart, who impressed both in last week's first leg and in his home debut against Sevilla.

Although the ongoing redevelopment of Camp Nou means the stadium is operating at a reduced capacity of 62,000, returning home after two seasons at the former Olympic Stadium on Montjuic has been highly positive for Barcelona.

The team has won all 11 matches there since returning last November, scoring 34 goals in the process.

That sets up an intimidating trip for a Newcastle side, which took a morale-boosting 1-0 win at Chelsea over the weekend.

Newcastle paid for its inexperience in last week's first leg, and Camp Nou will provide an even tougher test against an opponent unlikely to repeat the same mistakes.

Newcastle coach Eddie Howe on Tuesday called on his players to grow rather than shrink under the lights at Camp Nou.

Newcastle, aiming to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in the club's history, know the challenge will be different on Wednesday at the home of the five-time winners.

"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."

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said on Tuesday his "biggest role" was preventing complacency as his undermanned side host Atalanta on Wednesday sitting on a 6-1 first-leg lead.

Despite being without striker Harry Kane, the Bundesliga leaders thumped Atalanta in Bergamo last Wednesday in their Champions League last-16 opener, racking up three goals in each half.

No team in European Cup history has ever overturned a five-goal deficit in a second leg but Kompany took the responsibility of ensuring his injury-hit side know the job is not yet done.

"That's precisely my biggest role in a situation like this," Kompany told reporters.

"The crucial foundation from which we have to work is a willingness to work, a willingness to run, and the joy of playing football, which we will also show."

Bayern were reduced to nine men but dug deep to draw 1-1 at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and Kompany said the result would spur his men.

"The result against Leverkusen was actually positive. It showed what kind of story our season could be.

"We don't have much room. I don't want to go into these games too laid back. But my greatest confidence is in this team."

Agencies