Newcastle United

Newcastle United's Champions League Hopes Hinge on Victory Over Benfica

Strategic Insights

Oct 19, 2025 — 1 min read

Newcastle United's task to revive their Champions League qualification hopes begins at St James' Park as they host Portuguese giants Benfica. Coming off a 4-0 win against Union Saint-Gilloise that left them 11th in the table, Eddie Howe's side must secure victory to boost their chances. However, their challenge is complicated by the absence of several key players due to injury and Uefa's 'List A' squad rules. Newcastle will be desperate to put their defeat against Brighton behind them on Tuesday night, but a short turnaround and the lack of sidelined players will make it tough.

Key Takeaways:

Newcastle United will be without Yoane Wissa, Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, and Jamaal Lascelles due to injury or Uefa's 'List A' squad rules.
The absence of these players significantly impacts Newcastle's chances of beating Benfica, given the short turnaround and lack of depth in the squad.
Jose Mourinho's appointment as Benfica's manager has seen the team rejuvenated, beating all opponents except Chelsea since his appointment.
Uefa's 'List A' squad rule, which prevents players not named in the initial list from playing in the league phase, is a significant factor in Lascelles' exclusion.
There is a loophole available to Lascelles that could see him feature in future Champions League matches due to a new rule implemented by Uefa.

Statistics:

Newcastle United has won 1 out of 3 Champions League matches this season.
Benfica has been unbeaten in 9 matches since Jose Mourinho's appointment, with the only loss being against Chelsea.
Uefa's 'List A' squad rule allows clubs to name 25 players, including 4 'locally trained players,' but Newcastle United did not have any such players within their squad.

Sources:

(1) "Newcastle United's Champions League hopes in jeopardy as star man is ruled out of must-win match against Benfica" by The Gazette
(2) "UEFA rules block Jamaal Lascelles from featuring v Benfica" by The Shield Gazette
(3) "Subscribe to our Newcastle United newsletter for all the news straight to your inbox" by The Shield Gazette

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