Newcastle United could be forgiven for approaching their first Champions League campaign in two decades with a bit a trepidation.
The Magpies have been drawn in a glittering quartet alongside Ligue 1 holders Paris Saint-Germain, Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund and seven-time European champions AC Milan.
Yet, Eddie Howe was more enthusiastic than anxious. "When the dust settles," the Newcastle boss said, "you look at it with pure excitement. There's no negativity from any of us. It's hard, it's challenging but some great European games for us to experience".
Here's how Newcastle have fared against their intimidating group-stage opponents in the past.
Newcastle's record vs 2023/24 Champions League group stage opponents
The ball-plucking deities conspired to pit Newcastle against three clubs they have never previously faced before in competitive action.
PSG and Borussia Dortmund have been Champions League regulars in the last decade but Newcastle have not played a European fixture since 2013. Sir Bobby Robson was the manager for their most recent campaign in the continent's premier club competition.
Milan are bouncing back from their own fall from grace but skirted around Newcastle when the pair shared Europe at the turn of the century.
Borussia Dortmund
A feverishly supported club from a working class city which preaches "intensity, authenticity, cohesion and ambition", Borussia Dortmund share plenty of parallels with Newcastle.
However, a considerable discrepancy lies within the clubs' bank balances. While Newcastle are one of the wealthiest teams in the world following the controversial takeover led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Dortmund pride themselves on running a sustainable model funded largely by player sales.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, BVB's frugal CEO, even lamented last year how his side have to "fight against big clubs with oligarchs and the Arabian states".
Paris Saint-Germain
PSG can emphatically match Newcastle for spending power. The Parisian giants are infamously owned by Qatar Sports Investment and their bottomless pockets. Qatar and Saudi Arabia had been locked in a bubbling feud that peaked with a trade blockade between 2017 and 2021.
However, relations between the ludicrously wealthy Middle Eastern states have improved since the World Cup was held in Qatar, which Saudi's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman attended.
Newcastle and PSG may never have met before, but this is already a politically charged rivalry.
Milan
Newcastle's last season in the Champions League ended in the 2002/03 second group phase. Milan went on to win the entire competition that year, the club's sixth of seven titles.
Only Real Madrid - with an outrageous 14 - have hoisted the big-eared trophy aloft more often than Milan. However, the 2022 Serie A champions spent seven years (2014-2021) out of the competition.
There may be no historic rivalry between Milan and Newcastle but the battle for Sandro Tonali's heart will be at the forefront of the coming fixtures. The boyhood Milan fan claimed in 2022 that he would "never make the mistake of leaving" his team but was lured to Tyneside in the summer. After a breakfast trip to Wetherspoons (and a debut goal), Tonali is already a fan favourite among the Toon Army.
Newcastle's H2H record vs German teams
Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bayer Leverkusen | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Eintracht Frankfurt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1860 Munich | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Across their various European capers, Newcastle have managed to avoid both Borussia Dortmund and the ultimate behemoths of German football, Bayern Munich.
The Magpies did come up against Bayer Leverkusen in the season after they reached the 2002 Champions League final. But Newcastle won home and away, taking full advantage of the club's remarkable drop off after the disappointment of losing the European final, league and German Cup in a matter of weeks.
Newcastle have never lost a competitive fixture to a German team.
Newcastle's H2H record vs French teams
Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monaco | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Bastia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Troyes | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Metz | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Sochaux | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Bordeaux | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Marseille | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Since reaching the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969, arguably the biggest match of Newcastle's European excursions came against French opposition.
While Troyes may have contributed to an entertaining 4-4 draw in the final of the Intertoto Cup, Newcastle made it to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2004. A 26-year-old Didier Drogba scored the only goals across both legs to win the tie for Marseille.
Newcastle's H2H record vs Italian teams
Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Roma | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Inter | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Juventus | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Palermo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Newcastle can complete the set of Italy's 'Big Three' when they face Milan in this year's group stage. Juventus managed to make it all the way to the 2003 Champions League final despite losing five matches along the way - Newcastle inflicted the first of those defeats at St James' Park courtesy of a goal from Andy Griffin.
The Magpies are actually unbeaten across their two competitive visits to San Siro - the home ground which AC Milan share with Internazionale. Newcastle earned a 1-1 draw on their first trip to the iconic stadium in the Fairs Cup 50 years ago before returning to the Scala of football in 2003. Alan Shearer twice fired the visitors ahead only for Inter's Christian Vieri and Ivan Cordoba to equalise each time.
When are the 2023/24 Champions League group stage matchdays?
Matchday | Date |
|---|---|
Matchday 1 | 19/20 September |
Matchday 2 | 3/4 October 2023 |
Matchday 3 | 24/25 October 2023 |
Matchday 4 | 7/8 November 2023 |
Matchday 5 | 28/29 November 2023 |
Matchday 6 | 12/13 December 2023 |
