Qarabag take on the visitors Newcastle in the first leg of UEFA Champions League round of 1/16-finals. The match will be played on Wednesday, February 18th at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium (Baku).
Qarabag had been highly regarded in football even before this breakthrough. Everyone got used to seeing them as an Eastern European version of PSG, clearly superior to all domestic rivals both financially and sporting-wise, and they had already built a solid reputation in European competitions. However, they had only once managed to get through Champions League qualification and play in the group stage. This time, they not only passed the qualifiers but also produced a series of eye-catching performances: a comeback 3–2 away win over Benfica, a confident 2–0 home victory against Copenhagen, and a hard-fought 2–2 draw there with Chelsea. Finally, in January in Baku, after trailing against Eintracht, they secured a decisive 3–2 win, which sent them into their first-ever playoff stage despite a heavy 0–6 defeat in Liverpool at the very end. Their recent home form has been especially impressive, with consistent attacking output against strong opposition. Overall, Qarabag have shown resilience and belief that often translate into positive results on their own ground.
| 2 x £10 Free Bet | Review | |||
| 100$-500$ for No Lose Free Bets | Review | |||
| 100% up to £200 | Review | |||
| Not available | Review |
Newcastle United have proven competitive at this level. The “Magpies” had already played in the Champions League two seasons ago under their current management. Back then, they failed to get out of the group and also dropped off in the Premier League. This season, domestic results have again been less convincing than in 2024/2025, which brought both a League Cup triumph and a fifth-place league finish. On the other hand, that makes it even more important for the English side to make a statement in the Champions League. After starting with a home loss to Barcelona, they went on a three-match winning streak that laid a solid foundation for success. The momentum later slowed down: they lost away to Marseille, drew with Bayer and PSG on the road, and only managed one more win, though a convincing 3–0 home victory over PSV. Recently, Newcastle have looked less reliable away from home, conceding regularly. Still, their overall European campaign suggests they can remain dangerous even without dominating matches.
Qarabag rarely appeared in the main round of the Champions League, while the English club have also not been frequent participants in recent history, so it is no surprise that this will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides. The English side are widely expected to win. However, given their current away form, they do not look fully convincing, so the safer option is to back both teams to score.
Prediction for the match: Both teams to score – yes.
